Just got found PMU…I’m devastated. What’s everyone else’s experience with this? How did you cope and were you able to successfully appeal?
Hi, I’ve recently been found PMU due to a history of poor mental health when I was a teenager. It was triggered by a specific event but now I’ve healed from that and my mental health has been grand for the past two years (I’m only 18, so I know it’s not been much time since my issues but I haven’t struggled with it at all in 2 years now).
I wrote a letter to the senior medical officer who reviewed my case stating this, along with a letter from my GP stating I had never been diagnosed with anything, never been referred to a specialist and never been given any medication and that they had no concerns about me basically. However, the senior medical officer found on my medical records an incident when I was 9 where I had been referred to the GP by my school for “low mood and anxiety”. I didn’t remember this so I asked my mum about it, and she says basically I had fallen out with my friends at the time and my teacher was a little concerned, so he sent that referral, but the school nurses and the GP found there was no issue. If I can find proof about how both the school nurses and GP found it was a non-issue at the time, could that help with an appeal? The senior medical officer stated it showed I could relapse again, but if it was never an issue in the first place, also considering my age at the time, would I potentially be ok? I don’t think the info from the school nurses would have been available to the senior medical officer when they reviewed my case.
I know for a successful appeal I need new evidence that contradicts the senior medical officer’s original decision, but I don’t know where to even begin with that. I’ve sent a message to my recruiter but if I do hear back, it probably won’t be until Monday or perhaps later. I’m also going to book an appointment with my GP to discuss how to gather evidence for an appeal. Is there anything else I could be doing? What have other people’s experiences with being found PMU been, how did you manage and were you able to successfully appeal? How?
I’ve applied for the army as well and am currently going through the medical process with them. I just really hope I’ve still got a chance. I have worked really hard to get where I currently am, and I know I’ve struggled in the past but I well and truly have moved beyond it and I’m not at risk of relapsing whatsoever. I developed a lot of coping strategies due to that specific event I mentioned at the start, and I’ve been able to push through and endure so much. I just finished college to get my A levels and even when it felt impossible to manage I just kept going and now I’m predicted all A’s or higher, I’ve even won some awards for it. I did all that while training pretty intensely for the RAF PJFT and army assessment centre which meant I had no free time and but I was determined to keep working hard. I know I’m capable and resilient enough to cope for a difficult life in the armed forces as well. I’m just worried I’ll be denied a chance at it. I’m honestly just so gutted.