Disclosure, You Decide
You are not legally required to disclose a disability to your employer. But whether to disclose, how much to share, and with whom is a decision worth thinking through carefully. This page provides general peer‑support information and does not reproduce BMA policy text.
Disclosure, You Decide
You are under no general legal obligation to disclose a disability or health condition to your employer. It's a personal decision. There is no single right answer, and it depends on your circumstances, your relationship with your employer, and what you actually need from them.
The practical tension is this: to trigger your employer's legal duty to make reasonable adjustments, they need to know about your disability. Broadly speaking, some level of disclosure is usually necessary to get the adjustments you're entitled to. But how much you share, and with whom, is still your choice.
⚠ Important: GMC registration and serious conditions
There are separate considerations around the GMC's fitness to practise processes and the obligation to inform your responsible officer of conditions that may affect your practice. The BMA's guidance covers this in detail. If you're unsure, contact the BMA for personalised advice before disclosing to your employer.
Things to think about before you disclose
What do you actually need? If you need adjustments, some disclosure is usually unavoidable. If you're managing well without support, you may not need to say anything yet.
Who are you telling? You can disclose to OH, HR, or your educational supervisor without it going further - but ask about their confidentiality policy first, before you say anything.
You don't have to share everything. Describing the functional impact is enough. "I have a condition that causes fatigue, I need a break after four hours of clinical work" is more useful than a medical summary, and it's all you're required to share.
Get whatever is agreed in writing. Verbal commitments don't hold up. If your manager agrees to something, follow up by email the same day to confirm it.