Medical
Eligibility - Medical
Medical standards for Authorised Firearms Officers
The nature of being an armed police officer for the Ministry of Defence can be tough and physically demanding. Protecting critical Defence assets means your physical and mental health directly impact your ability to perform effectively in high-pressure situations.
To join us, you'll need to be fit and healthy. Before you're offered a job, you'll need to pass a medical assessment (including a drug and alcohol test) and a Physical Employment Standards Job-Related Fitness Test (PES-JRFT).
Once you've passed your interviews, you'll be invited to attend a pre-employment medical.
Before your medical
You'll be sent three forms to complete beforehand:
Medical History Questionnaire - Complete section 1 yourself, then ask your GP to complete, sign, and stamp section 2
Opticians' Form - Must be completed, signed, and stamped by a qualified optician
Audio 1 Form - Complete this yourself (the last page will be completed by the MOD Occupational Health practitioner at your medical)
At your medical there will also be a requirement to complete a health surveillance respiratory questionnaire and a fitness to use breathing apparatus health screening questionnaire.
Further investigation will be required if any response indicates that you may not meet the standard.
What you'll be tested on
At your medical, you'll undergo the following assessments:
Hearing (audiometry)
Vision
Blood pressure and pulse
Urinalysis
Lung function
Height and weight/BMI
Drug and alcohol testing
Hearing
As a police officer, you will need to be able to hear your colleagues, members of the public and your radio in noisy surroundings. You will therefore need to be able to achieve the Authorised Firearms Officer (AFO) hearing standard unaided, in line with the standards governed by the College of Policing.
The hearing standard is derived from a sum of total hearing loss (in decibels – dB) within the low and high frequencies, as measured by ‘pure-tone air condition’ audiometry. Hearing will be tested unaided and standards must be achieved unaided.
You're unlikely to meet the standard if you have:
Total hearing loss of more than 84dB across 0.5, 1, and 2 KHz frequencies
Total hearing loss of more than 123dB across 3, 4, and 6 KHz frequencies
Results are captured in the Medical Examination Form and any individual who is unable to hear to the required standard (as outlined above) without the use of a hearing aid, is deemed unsuitable for recruitment.
Routine annual audiometry testing is required for all firearms officers throughout their career.
Eyesight
Police Officers need a high level of visual acuity good enough to take in every detail in a situation. When handling a firearm and making decisions under pressure, your sight is integral to your confidence and safety. We therefore apply the following minimum visual eyesight standards:
Binocular vision of 6/7.5 (aided or unaided)
At least 6/12 in your worst eye (aided or unaided)
Unaided binocular vision of 6/36 or better (this doesn't apply if you've successfully corrected your vision with soft contact lenses)
Near vision of N8 (corrected and uncorrected)
Bring your glasses/contact lenses and current prescription to the assessment.
Visual field
The ability to accurately judge the distance of objects relies more on the size of the object, in relation to other objects, and the perspective and contextual clues in the environment, rather than binocular vision. Good visual fields are necessary to see threats from the extreme left or right. Visual fields are also useful in pursuit driving.
Assessment of visual field will be by Confrontation testing of each eye, to screen for impaired peripheral field of vision. Confrontation is a method of assessing visual field loss and relies on the tester having normal peripheral vision. The visual fields of both eyes overlap; therefore, each eye is tested independently.
A view of at least 120 degrees horizontally by 100 degrees vertically is required and this must be free of any large defective areas, particularly in the fovea. Defects smaller than the physiological blind spot will be acceptable.
Laser surgery
If you have had laser surgery, a period of six weeks must have elapsed since surgery with no residual side effects and the required eyesight standards must be met. Refractive surgery such as LASIK, LASEK, PRK and ICRS can be considered.
Colour vision
To be an AFO, your colour vision must also meet a high standard. Dichromats and severe anomalous trichromats are not suitable for AFO roles. Monochromats (individuals with complete visual colour deficiency) will also be assessed as unsuitable. The use of colour correcting lenses is not acceptable.
Candidates are required to have their colour vision tested by their optician. The initial test performed is the Ishihara test. If a candidate fails the Ishihara screening test, they are required to pass both the Farnsworth-Munsell D-15 (fail if 2 or more major crossings) and either the 2nd edition City University test (fail if 5 or more total errors or 2 errors on the large circle plates) or if this is unavailable, the 3rd edition City University test (fail if 3 or more errors on part two of the test).
Candidates who are consistently diagnosed as protanomalous, in two out of three tests, should also be excluded even if they have only 2-4 errors on City University or one major crossing error on the D15 test.
BMI and body composition
People who are overweight are more likely to struggle with the physical demands of policing, including performing effectively in the role of an AFO. Conversely, underweight people may be short of the muscular strength required to carry the essential Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required for the role.
The Body Mass Index (BMI) standard for police recruitment is <30 but no lower than 19, with a waist circumference of <40 inches for men and <35 inches for women. However, applicants who fall out-with the BMI and waist circumference but have a waist to hip ratio of <0.95 for men and <0.80 for women, will be assessed as meeting the requirement.
Where a male applicant’s body fat is less than or equal to 21% and a female applicant’s body fat is less than or equal to 30% this is acceptable
Blood pressure
Any candidate who has a resting blood pressure reading that is consistently 140mmHg / 90 mmHg diastolic or more will not be assessed as suitable for the AFO role.
Other medical conditions
There are some medical conditions that may prevent you from being employed by the MDP. This is because the conditions have been identified as being potential risks to the individual, when carrying out the role of an AFO within Defence establishments and other customer environments.
All medical conditions will be assessed as part of the pre-employment medical process.
To enable candidates to make informed decisions, clarification on some of the most common conditions are outlined as follows:
Asthma
You will be assessed individually. If your asthma is managed with medication, such as inhalers, you may still be accepted into service.
Diabetes
If you have Type 1 diabetes it is unlikely that you will be found suitable for employment in the MDP. Further information, and assessment will be needed, and each case will be assessed on its merits.
For Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, you will need to demonstrate that your condition is managed well and that you can safely adapt to the demands of the job (including shifts and variable meal patterns).
Epilepsy
It is unlikely that you will be found suitable for employment in the MDP, but you will be assessed individually based on your history of epileptic fits after the age of 5 years.
Stress, anxiety, or depression
Our AFOs are on the policing frontline and are public facing. They are required to deal with a wide range of demanding situations which necessitate the ability to be able to process information, to make decisions and to undertake appropriate courses of action.
Medical cases involving stress, anxiety or depression will be assessed individually, taking in to account the demands and responsibilities of the AFO role. Further information will then be required and will include a face-to-face assessment.
All medical conditions are evaluated through the pre-employment medical process, ensuring fair and thorough assessment of your suitability for this demanding but rewarding career.