The Merchant Shipping (Work in Fishing Convention) (Medical Certification) Regulations 2018

Suspension and cancellation of medical fitness certificate

10.—(1) This regulation applies if a medical practitioner has reasonable grounds for believing that—

(a) there has been a significant change in the medical fitness of a person during the period of validity of that person’s medical fitness certificate;

(b) a person is not complying with the terms of a condition to which that person’s medical fitness certificate is subject;

(c) when a medical fitness certificate was issued to a person, had a medical practitioner been in possession of full details of that person’s condition, the medical practitioner could not reasonably have considered that the person was fit, having regard to the medical standards specified by the Secretary of State in Merchant Shipping Notice 1886; or

(d) a medical fitness certificate was issued to a person otherwise than in accordance with these Regulations.

(2) If this regulation applies, the medical practitioner may—

(a) suspend the validity of that medical fitness certificate until the person to whom the certificate was issued has undergone further medical examination;

(b) suspend the validity of the medical fitness certificate for such period as the medical practitioner considers the person to whom the certificate was issued will remain unfit to perform the duties that person will carry out at sea; or

(c) cancel the certificate if the medical practitioner considers that the person to whom the certificate was issued is likely to is likely to remain permanently unfit to perform the duties that person will carry out at sea,

and must notify the person concerned accordingly as soon as reasonably practicable in the event that the medical practitioner decides to take one or more of these actions.

(3) The medical practitioner may require that a person surrenders a medical fitness certificate which has been issued to that person and which has been suspended or cancelled pursuant to paragraph (2), as that practitioner directs.

(4) In this regulation, a significant change in the medical fitness of a person is a condition which affects or would be reasonably likely to affect that person’s ability to carry out their duties at sea, including their ability to undertake emergency duties.