What a pre-employment medical covers, and which package to book

The offer has come through, and there's one condition left: a medical. Your new employer may have sent a form, or just an email saying you need to "get one done" before your start date.

A pre-employment medical answers one question for your employer: are you fit for the role? A doctor examines you, runs the checks the job calls for, and completes either one of our four packages or the form your employer sent.

If you already know which package your employer wants, you can book a pre-employment medical at our Harley Street clinic, often within the same week, or call 0207 499 1991.

Why do employers ask for a medical?

Employers use a pre-employment medical as health clearance before onboarding, and candidates book one when they've been asked to arrange their own. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places duties on employers for employee health, safety and welfare. A medical isn't legally required for every role, but many employers still ask for one because of the job itself, their insurance or their written policy.

You might wonder why it came after the offer rather than before. In Great Britain, the Equality Act 2010 generally stops employers asking health questions before a job offer, so most pre-employment medicals take place after a conditional offer.

Medical Express Clinic has practised at 117a Harley Street, London W1G 6AT, since 1984 and is CQC-registered. Dr Mohammad Bakhtiar, GMC 4694470, is clinical lead for health screening. For wider occupational work, our sister clinic runs an occupational health service.

Which pre-employment package should I book?

Book the package that matches your employer's written instructions. Each tier builds on the one below it.

The four pre-employment packages.

All four include the doctor-led examination, blood pressure and pulse, and urinalysis, unless your employer's form asks for more. If the instructions are unclear, or your employer has its own form, email it to info@medicalexpressclinic.co.uk before you book. We'll confirm whether one of the packages fits or whether extra tests are needed.

What does the doctor check on the day?

Every package includes a structured physical examination. The doctor records the findings that matter for fitness to work and completes your employer's form if you've brought one.

The examination covers weight, height and body mass index, a central nervous system check, and a look at general body movement. The doctor checks your heart, with pulse rate and blood pressure, your breathing, and your abdomen, including for a hernia. Urinalysis screens for kidney and bladder disorders and for diabetes, and colour vision is tested from Standard Plus upward.

If your blood tests need you to fast, we'll tell you before the appointment. A Standard medical has no bloods, so there's nothing to fast for.

What should I bring, and how long will it take?

• Photo identification: a passport or a driving licence.
• Any medical forms your employer gave you.
• A list of the medicines you take, and details of any significant medical history.
• Your glasses, if you wear them, for the vision test.

If you have a known condition, mention it on the day. That's how the doctor completes your form accurately and fairly.

The appointment starts from 30 minutes. Extra tests, employer forms or outside investigations can take longer, and we'll confirm the time when you book. Appointments run Monday to Friday.

Can my employer add extra tests?

Yes. If the role needs more than the four packages cover, we can add investigations such as spirometry, a stress or exercise ECG, MRI and CT imaging, X-ray imaging, drug and alcohol testing, and health surveillance. These go on the form, or are agreed in writing, before the booking is made.

Depending on the specification, tests take place at Harley Street, on a suitable employer site or at a nearby specialist partner centre. We coordinate each part and provide the agreed report.

Booking for a team

We work directly with companies that need pre-employment screening for new hires. Send us your forms or a written specification in advance, and we'll confirm the right package, where the tests happen and how the report reaches you. Account management and direct invoicing are available for corporate clients, with 30-day credit terms by arrangement.

If a start date is close, tell us the date when you get in touch. Same-week appointments are often available, subject to capacity, and report timing is confirmed when the specification is agreed. If you're sending staff overseas, they may also need visa medicals, which are a separate, destination-specific examination. Our visa medical checklist covers what each person should bring.

What if I need a seafarer medical, a visa medical or a health MOT?

If your letter names a PEME, a seafarer medical or a cruise-ship medical, we do those too, as a separate service from the four land packages. A standard PEME is from £450 including certification, with the final price confirmed from your company forms. It takes about an hour, Monday to Friday, and results come back in 3 to 5 working days, or faster on the expedited service for an extra £100. Say so when you get in touch and send the company forms, and we'll complete the company PEME forms you were sent. Seafarer medicals ask about distance from a hospital, which an office clearance never needs to.

ENG1 is issued by MCA-approved doctors.

A visa medical is completed for a foreign office deciding whether to accept your health papers. A UK start-date medical for an office, a warehouse, a school or a hospital is occupational clearance, even when the employer later sends you abroad.

A health screening is a preventative assessment for someone who feels well, and the report belongs to you. It answers a different question from a fitness-to-work certificate, so one can't be used in place of the other.

We do all of this work at Harley Street, and the letter you were sent tells us which one you need. If you feel unwell, have a new or worsening symptom, or think you may need urgent care, see a GP or contact NHS 111. For an emergency, call 999 or go to A&E.

Related guides: choosing between a visa medical, pre-employment medical and PEME and employer healthcare versus individual screening.