Joining With a
Medical Condition
What the law and the Home Office medical standards actually say about joining the police with asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, hearing loss, a high BMI or an old injury, how the medical works, and who makes the decision.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 1 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Often, yes. Home Office standards say no one should be excluded automatically because of a medical condition or disability; each case is assessed on its merits by the force's occupational health team, with reasonable adjustments considered. Some conditions are listed as needing more evidence, a few as unlikely to be suitable. Declare your history fully and bring recent evidence from your GP or specialist.
This page is general information for police constable candidates in England and Wales, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you will pass. Only the force's occupational health service can assess you, and your own GP or specialist is the right person to advise on your condition.
The legal rule: fit for the duties, assessed individually
Regulation 10(1)(d) of the Police Regulations 2003 says a candidate must be certified by a registered medical practitioner approved by the local policing body "to be in good health, of sound constitution and fitted both physically and mentally to perform the duties on which he will be employed after appointment". Regulation 10(1)(e) adds the separate Home Office eyesight standard, covered in our eyesight guide.
The regulation does not list conditions. The Home Office set out how forces should apply it in Circular 59/2004, which made two points that still matter:
- It became unlawful to exclude candidates automatically on the basis of a medical condition or disability. "Each case should be looked at individually and assessed on its merits."
- The standards reflect fitness to serve at the time of assessment and for a reasonable time, rather than predicting whether you will stay fit for a whole career.
The circular also said the standards do not mean people who cannot fulfil a substantial part of the role will be recruited. The job includes personal safety training, physical restraint, long shifts and driving in many forces, and the assessment is about whether you can do that safely, with adjustments where reasonable.
The Home Office medical standards and how old they are
Circular 59/2004 attached a document called "Recommended Medical Standards", which puts conditions into three indicative categories for a police applicant:
The circular says these categories are "indicative only and each case will need to be looked at individually". Bear three things in mind when you read them:
- They date from 2004 and were written under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, since replaced by the Equality Act 2010. Medical treatment has moved on for many conditions.
- We found no newer national replacement on GOV.UK or from the College of Policing, and an FOI-published Met Police procedure lists HOC 59/2004 as its medical standard. Forces' occupational health providers may use their own clinical protocols on top.
- A few entries, such as those on HIV and hepatitis, reflect 2004 medicine. Under the Equality Act, HIV infection, cancer and multiple sclerosis are disabilities from diagnosis, so the reasonable adjustments duty and individual assessment apply. Ask occupational health how it assesses your condition today.
Common conditions and what the 2004 standards say
The table quotes the 2004 category for conditions people most often ask about. It is not a prediction of your result.
| Condition | 2004 indicative category | Note in the standards |
|---|---|---|
| Asthma | Likely to require further information, investigation and assessment | Persistent respiratory disease impairing exercise capacity: unlikely to be suitable |
| Treated hay fever, no wheezing | Likely to be suitable | |
| Insulin-dependent diabetes (type 1 or 2) | Unlikely to be suitable, but further information and assessment needed | "assess each case on its merits"; recent hypoglycaemic episode warrants deferral |
| Non-insulin dependent diabetes | Likely to require further information, investigation and assessment | Complications can affect functional capacity |
| Controlled high blood pressure, no side-effects | Likely to be suitable | Uncontrolled: further assessment, possibly after GP treatment |
| Epilepsy, single seizure | Likely to require further information, investigation and assessment | If no abnormality found, defer entry for 18 months |
| Epilepsy, recurrent seizures | Unlikely to be suitable | Assessed case by case |
| Migraine | Likely to require further information, investigation and assessment | |
| Mild eczema or mild psoriasis | Likely to be suitable | Widespread or severe: further assessment |
| Past fracture with metalwork | Likely to require further information, investigation and assessment | Risk of re-fracture with more energetic activity |
| Single joint dislocation, no recurrence | Likely to be suitable | Recurrent: unlikely to be suitable, rare exceptions after surgery |
| Recurrent low back pain or sciatica | Likely to require further information, investigation and assessment | Multiple-level lumbar disease: unlikely to be suitable |
| Coeliac disease | Likely to require further information, investigation and assessment | Lactose intolerance and food allergy: likely to be suitable |
| Hernia | Likely to be suitable more than 3 months after successful surgery | Untreated: refer to GP or defer until after surgery |
| Sickle cell trait | Likely to be suitable | Sickle cell disease: unlikely to be suitable |
Mental health conditions are covered in a separate section of the same standards; see mental health, ADHD, autism and dyslexia.
Asthma and diabetes in more detail
Asthma. The standards treat asthma as something to assess, not a bar. The question is whether it limits your exercise capacity and how well it is controlled. The national recruitment site's medical page includes spirometry (a lung function test) and says a condition such as asthma "doesn't mean you can't become a police officer" if you are fit and well and it is well managed. You still need to pass the 15m bleep test to level 5.4; our fitness test medical questions page covers the test itself.
Diabetes. The 2004 standards are more cautious about insulin-treated diabetes, listing it as unlikely to be suitable, but in the same line require further information and assessment so each case is judged on its merits. They note that a recent hypoglycaemic episode warrants deferral, and that diabetes complications can reduce functional capacity. The national recruitment site names diabetes alongside asthma as a condition that need not stop you if well managed. Expect occupational health to ask about your treatment, control and any hypoglycaemic episodes, and bring recent evidence.
Health is one part of the picture. Our free 60-second eligibility check flags the other areas (vetting, finances, fitness) worth preparing for, and the fitness pass predictor helps you plan bleep test training around a condition.
BMI, hearing, epilepsy and other common questions
BMI. There is no BMI rule in the regulations. The standards say a BMI outside the 18 to 30 range is "likely to require further information, investigation and assessment" and that "BMI should only be used to screen individuals". A muscular build can produce a high BMI; that is exactly what the further assessment is for. Some forces set their own BMI rule; see the police medical: BMI, height and what is checked.
Hearing. The standards set a threshold: hearing loss of more than a total of 84 dB over the 0.5 to 1.2 kHz range, or more than 123 dB over 3, 4 and 6 kHz, is below standard. Both ears above standard is likely to be suitable; both below is unlikely; one above and one below, or hearing aids that bring you above the minimum, need further assessment, and a practical test of hearing such as speech comprehension should be considered.
Epilepsy. After a single seizure with no abnormality found, the standards recommend deferring entry for 18 months; recurrent seizures are listed as unlikely to be suitable, case by case. If your force requires a driving licence, the DVLA's own rules on seizures and driving also apply.
Pregnancy. The standards list pregnancy as likely to be suitable three months after delivery. The College of Policing's assessment guidance treats pregnancy as a reason for accommodations during the online assessments. Ask the force how it handles fitness testing and intake dates.
Your rights under the Equality Act 2010
Section 42 of the Equality Act 2010 treats holding the office of constable as employment by the chief officer for the purposes of the employment provisions, so they apply to police recruitment.
- Disability (section 6). A physical or mental impairment with a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Cancer, HIV infection and multiple sclerosis count from diagnosis (Schedule 1, paragraph 6).
- Reasonable adjustments (section 20). The force must take reasonable steps to avoid a substantial disadvantage to a disabled candidate, in the recruitment process and in the job.
- Health questions (section 60). An employer must not ask about your health before offering work, except where needed for specific purposes, including working out whether you can take part in an assessment or need adjustments for it, and establishing whether you can carry out a function intrinsic to the work. An offer can be conditional.
That is why forces usually ask detailed health questions after a conditional offer, and why the College of Policing guidance says sickness information should not be requested from referees until then. Home Office Circular 59/2004 also said rejection on medical grounds must be justified by the parts of the job you could not do even with reasonable adjustments.
The police medical, step by step
- Assessments first. You complete the national sift, online assessment process and force interview. If you need adjustments for those, ask your force when you apply.
- Health declaration. The national recruitment site says you complete a confidential health declaration, and most forces require a health questionnaire signed by your GP covering current and past physical and mental health.
- Medical assessment. Normally height, weight and BMI, a musculoskeletal check, blood pressure, a urine test, spirometry, and hearing and eyesight checks, according to the national recruitment site.
- Further evidence if needed. Where a condition needs more information, occupational health may ask for reports from your GP or specialist, or see you again. An FOI-published Met procedure describes candidates being placed on medical hold while this happens.
- Fitness test. The 15m bleep test to level 5.4. The national recruitment site says some forces offer a treadmill alternative where a condition makes the shuttle run difficult.
- Decision. Suitable, suitable with adjustments, deferred, or unsuitable. Forces communicate this in their own way.
For how forces time the medical, GP record requests and your rights over them, the drugs test, and the hearing and height questions, see the police recruitment medical explained.
Waiting for GP or specialist evidence is one of the commonest delays. The free recruitment timeline planner lets you build in time for it.
Evidence and honesty
Occupational health can only assess what it knows about, and can only recommend adjustments for conditions you have declared. The national recruitment site says it is important to declare any physical or mental conditions at the relevant stage of recruitment. Leaving something out that later appears in your GP records can raise questions about honesty as well as fitness.
- Ask your GP or specialist for a recent letter on your diagnosis, treatment, control and how it affects activity.
- Keep a note of medication and doses, and of any episodes (for example asthma attacks or hypoglycaemia) with dates.
- Bring evidence of what you can do: sport, physical work, a completed fitness programme.
- Expect your GP practice to take time to complete forms, and ask early whether it charges for them.
If you are told you are unsuitable or deferred
We found no single national medical appeal route for police candidates. Forces set their own processes. It is reasonable to:
- ask for the decision and the reasons in writing;
- ask which parts of the role occupational health considers you could not carry out, and whether adjustments were considered, since Circular 59/2004 says rejection must be justified in those terms;
- offer further evidence from your specialist if the decision rested on missing information;
- ask whether a deferral means you can be reassessed later, and when;
- ask whether you can reapply in future, and to which stage; see rejected applications and reapplying.
If you believe you have been treated unlawfully because of a disability, get advice promptly: section 123 of the Equality Act 2010 says an employment tribunal claim must normally be brought within three months of the act complained of (subject to early conciliation rules), and a solicitor or adviser can explain your options.
What to ask your force, and who can help
- Which occupational health provider does the medical, and what does it check?
- What evidence will you want about my condition, and from whom?
- Can I have adjustments for the assessments or the fitness test?
- Do you offer an alternative fitness test if my condition affects the shuttle run?
- If a result is borderline, can I be reassessed?
Your GP or specialist can advise on your condition. The force recruitment team can explain its process. Our police jobs pages link to each force's recruitment pages.
Myths about the police medical
- "Asthma rules you out." It is listed as needing assessment, not as a bar.
- "Over BMI 30 is an automatic fail." The standards say BMI is a screen that leads to further assessment.
- "Wearing glasses is a problem." The eyesight standard is for corrected vision; glasses and contact lenses are allowed.
- "Any old injury will fail you." Many past injuries are listed as needing assessment and some, such as a single dislocation with no recurrence, as likely to be suitable.
- "It is best not to mention a condition." Undeclared conditions can raise honesty concerns and leave you without adjustments you might need.
- "The 2004 list decides it." The Home Office called its categories indicative; each case is assessed on its merits.
What we could not verify
- Whether any force uses a more recent internal medical standard than HOC 59/2004. We found no newer national standard.
- A national medical appeal process for candidates. We found none; forces set their own.
- How each force's occupational health provider currently assesses specific conditions such as type 1 diabetes. Ask the force.
- Whether all forces offer the treadmill alternative to the bleep test. The national recruitment site says "some forces" do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you join the police with a medical condition?
Often, yes. Home Office medical standards (Circular 59/2004) say candidates must not be excluded automatically because of a medical condition or disability; each case is assessed individually on its merits. The national recruitment site says a well-managed condition such as asthma or diabetes does not mean you cannot become an officer. The force's occupational health team decides.
Can you join the police with asthma?
Asthma is not an automatic bar. The Home Office recommended standards list asthma as likely to require further information, investigation and assessment, and treated hay fever without wheezing as likely to be suitable. Any persistent respiratory disease that impairs exercise capacity is listed as unlikely to be suitable. You must also pass the bleep test to level 5.4.
Can you join the police with type 1 diabetes?
Possibly, after individual assessment. The 2004 standards list insulin-dependent diabetes (type 1 or type 2) as unlikely to be suitable but say further information and assessment will be needed to assess each case on its merits, and a recent hypoglycaemic episode warrants deferral. Those standards predate the Equality Act 2010, so a blanket refusal would not fit the individual-assessment principle.
Can you join the police with epilepsy?
The 2004 standards say a single seizure needs further assessment and, where no abnormality is found, entry should be deferred for 18 months; recurrent seizures are listed as unlikely to be suitable, assessed case by case. Driving rules from the DVLA may also matter if your force requires a licence.
What BMI do you need to join the police?
There is no fixed BMI pass mark in the regulations. The Home Office standards say a BMI outside 18 to 30 is likely to require further information and assessment, and that BMI should only be used to screen. The national recruitment site says the medical checks height, weight and BMI.
What is checked at the police medical?
The national recruitment site says it varies by force but normally includes height, weight and BMI, a musculoskeletal assessment, blood pressure, a urine test, spirometry (lung function), and hearing and eyesight checks, plus a confidential health declaration and, in most forces, a health questionnaire signed by your GP.
When is the police medical in the recruitment process?
After the assessment stages. Home Office Circular 59/2004 says only applicants successful at assessment should be asked to complete the medical questionnaire, and section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 restricts health questions before a job offer, with limited exceptions such as working out adjustments for assessments.
Can you join the police with hearing loss or hearing aids?
Possibly. The 2004 standards give a hearing threshold, say hearing in both ears above the standard is likely to be suitable, and say applicants whose hearing aids bring them above the minimum standard need further assessment, with a practical hearing test considered for borderline cases or where aids are fitted.
Will a past injury or operation stop me joining the police?
It depends on how it affects function now. The 2004 standards list many musculoskeletal conditions as needing further information and assessment, some (such as major joint replacement or multiple-level lumbar disease) as unlikely to be suitable, and a single dislocation with no recurrence or resolved whiplash as likely to be suitable.
Do I have to declare all my medical history to the police?
Answer the health declaration fully and honestly. The national recruitment site says it is important to declare physical or mental conditions at the relevant stage. Leaving out something the force later finds can raise integrity concerns, and occupational health can only consider adjustments it knows about.
Can I appeal a failed police medical?
We found no single national medical appeal process for candidates. Forces set their own procedures. If you are told you are unsuitable, ask for the reasons in writing, what evidence was considered and whether further specialist evidence or a review is possible.
Is a medical condition a disability under the Equality Act?
It is if it is a physical or mental impairment with a substantial and long-term adverse effect on normal day-to-day activities (section 6). Cancer, HIV infection and multiple sclerosis are disabilities from diagnosis (Schedule 1, paragraph 6). The Act treats a constable as employed by the chief officer, so the duty to make reasonable adjustments applies to recruitment.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 1 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- Police Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/527), regulation 10(1)(d) and (e), latest revised text — certified by an approved doctor as in good health and fit for the duties; eyesight standard (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Home Office Circular 59/2004: National recruitment standards, medical standards for police recruitment (GOV.UK) — no automatic exclusion; individual assessment; indicative standards; questionnaire after assessment; reasonable adjustments (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Home Office: Recommended Medical Standards (attachment to Circular 59/2004) — the condition-by-condition indicative categories quoted on this page (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Equality Act 2010, section 60: enquiries about disability and health — no health questions before an offer, with listed exceptions (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Equality Act 2010, sections 6, 20 and 42, and Schedule 1 paragraph 6 — disability definition; reasonable adjustments; constables treated as employed by the chief officer; cancer, HIV and MS (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Joining the Police: What's involved in the medical assessment? — what the medical normally checks; GP questionnaire; well-managed conditions (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Joining the Police: What's involved in the fitness test? — some forces offer a treadmill alternative where a condition prevents the shuttle run (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Job-related fitness standards — 15m MSFT to level 5.4 required for recruitment; alternative treadmill tests at force discretion (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Police constable pre-employment guidance (April 2024) — sickness information not requested from referees before an offer (Equality Act s60) (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Home Office Circular 007/2019: eyesight standards (determination under regulation 10) — the separate eyesight standard (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Metropolitan Police: Medical Standards and Screening SOP (published under FOI, 2012) — an example of one force applying HOC 59/2004 after a provisional offer, with individual assessment (accessed 1 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or any police force, and it does not recruit, vet or assess applicants. Recruitment standards, assessment formats and vetting decisions are set by the College of Policing and each force and change from time to time: check the force you are applying to before relying on anything here. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 1 October 2026.