ML5 medical certificate and the MCA

[RobbieW]

ML5 is valid for 5 years. ENG1 for 2 years.

As I understand it, the ML5 has to be renewed annually if you're over 65

 

[capnsensible]

As I understand it, the ML5 has to be renewed annually if you're over 65

Yeah, it changes for Ancient Mariners.

 

[Skylark]

The fee for an ML5 is at the mercy of the GP and after the age of 65 becomes annual. The ENG1 is good for 2 years after the age of 65 and has a max fee set by MCA. The max £80 quoted by our Capt S in post 4 is hopelessly out of date.

Both are, of course, tax deductible.

 

[capnsensible]

The fee for an ML5 is at the mercy of the GP and after the age of 65 becomes annual. The ENG1 is good for 2 years after the age of 65 and has a max fee set by MCA. The max £80 quoted by our Capt S in post 4 is hopelessly out of date.

Both are, of course, tax deductible.

If you are paying more they are having your pants down.

It may be out of date for you but certainly not where I got the information from.

 

[capnsensible]

The current maximum charge is £115 but you can fo that a lot cheaper outside the UK.

And lots more if you want too!

 

[WindyWindyWindy]

The ml5 is normally cheaper as it's less involved. My last ml5 the doc said "oh thank god I don't have to look in his mouth"..


Over 65 you'd have to be in good nick to get a 2 year unrestricted eng1.

 

[Skylark]

If you are paying more they are having your pants down.

It may be out of date for you but certainly not where I got the information from.

£115 is 43% more expensive than £80. I’d call that significant. Most people within this forum live in UK so suggesting that it’s cheaper outside the UK isn’t really relevant.

Up to date figures can be found on the MCA website which surely is the place to go for anyone who actually wants an ENG1

A piece of advice to anyone booking an ENG1 for the first time. If the Receptionist quotes an amount equal to the max shown by MCA, I’d suggest that replying “you’re having my pants down” wouldn’t be the greatest start to your relationship with the examining medical professional.

 

[38mess]

As I understand it, the ML5 has to be renewed annually if you're over 65

Yes this is true. Just a side note...
on my last ML5 around 3 years ago they have introduced a separate eye test at an approved optician which you have to pay for on top of the ML5 fee. My local doctor charged £120 for the medical and the opticians charged £80.
As said earlier both are tax deductible

 

[capnsensible]

A piece of advice to anyone booking an ENG1 for the first time. If the Receptionist quotes an amount equal to the max shown by MCA, I’d suggest that replying “you’re having my pants down” wouldn’t be the greatest start to your relationship with the examining medical professional.

Good point, well made.

 

[laika]

on my last ML5 around 3 years ago they have introduced a separate eye test at an approved optician which you have to pay for on top of the ML5 fee. My local doctor charged £120 for the medical and the opticians charged £80.

Last year my optician kindly signed the eye test part while I was in for a routine eye exam so YMMV but it's certainly a hassle having to take the form to two separate places and if your GP isn't familiar with the ML5 (I guess there aren't that many seafarers in hackney) it can be a rocky process. There's a bunch of specialist private places (google is your friend here) which appear to offer a hassle free certification for not much more than an NHS GP's price (certainly less than NHS + optician) which I'll be exploring next time round (anyone any experience of these?).

 

[Greg2]

There's a bunch of specialist private places (google is your friend here) which appear to offer a hassle free certification for not much more than an NHS GP's price (certainly less than NHS + optician) which I'll be exploring next time round (anyone any experience of these?).

We use a private outfit who do occupational health for employers - a Dr comes in to do them and it is all very straightforward. We switched from ENG1 to ML5 as they are less frequent and a little less onerous.

 

[ylop]

Cripes thats me clearly out then , I have so so many medical issues already mentioned , including Colour Blindness plus good enough sight , might think about taking up Golf or sumat ?

had you been planning to become a commercial skipper?

 

[Capt Popeye]

had you been planning to become a commercial skipper?

Err NO , but these Medicals just might spread from Commercial licences to Casual /Recreational licences ; also if the authorities require these medicals for Commercial licences , my guess is that they , the Authorities , just might go the RYA route at some time in the future !

 

[Tranona]

Err NO , but these Medicals just might spread from Commercial licences to Casual /Recreational licences ; also if the authorities require these medicals for Commercial licences , my guess is that they , the Authorities , just might go the RYA route at some time in the future !

What makes you think that. Medicals have been compulsory for professionals for a long, long time and the move to extend them to crew is response to growing evidence that it should be extended to a wider range of crew because of incidents where poor medical condition of crew was a factor in incidents at sea.

There is no suggestion at all that it should be extended to leisure sailors, and just because you have suddenly discovered the existence of medical requirements in another domain does not change this.

Relax and enjoy the fact that leisure sailing is unregulated even if there is encroaching regulation on a whole range of similar activities that involve commerce or participants being responsible for the safety of others under their control.

 

[[3889]]

Well thank you for all the replies /comments , I never knew any of these Medical tests existed for Sea Going Commercial folk

Cripes thats me clearly out then , I have so so many medical issues already mentioned , including Colour Blindness plus good enough sight , might think about taking up Golf or sumat ?

You don't have to be fighting fit to get a commercial endorsement. I have a friend who is profoundly deaf and uses a cochlear implant. His certificate is endorsed with certain restrictions such as no solo bridge watches.

 

[ylop]

Err NO , but these Medicals just might spread from Commercial licences to Casual /Recreational licences ; also if the authorities require these medicals for Commercial licences , my guess is that they , the Authorities , just might go the RYA route at some time in the future !

1. There are no recreational licenses now or for the foreseeable future in the UK. It’s widely opposed by virtually everyone in the industry and most people in government - you are worrying about nothing.
2. I don’t think countries which do have recreational licensing have tough medical requirements to fulfil. (Perhaps a self-declaration? But nothing like for pilots or lorry drivers).
3. In the UK GPs aren’t really keen on doing Medicals - even though it’s extra income it takes time away from actually dealing with sick patients. Even the people who profit from it would likely object to being asked to do loads more for leisure sailors.
4. The medicals for commercial use, is I think driven by international agreements on training etc. I expect, like many things, fisherman have claimed they were special so could be exempt - but evidence has gathered to show that safety is compromised from this.
5. I can’t recall hearing an MAIB report for a leisure sailor that was caused or significantly contributed to by the health of the skipper.
6. If government were going to make health or even eye sight checks mandatory for the general public it would make far more sense to do it for car drivers than sailors given then casualty rates and the “sorry mate I didn’t see you” defence anyone on two wheels will be familiar with!

 

[Capt Popeye]

6. If government were going to make health or even eye sight checks mandatory for the general public it would make far more sense to do it for car drivers than sailors given then casualty rates and the “sorry mate I didn’t see you” defence anyone on two wheels will be familiar with!

There are already Eyesight Tests dor Car Drivers , plus certain Medical conditions require informing the DVLA of ; My guess experience of them on 2 wheels is , wear a High Vis or similar so as to be seen , plus obey the Rules of our roads more

 

[AntarcticPilot]

There are already Eyesight Tests dor Car Drivers , plus certain Medical conditions require informing the DVLA of ; My guess experience of them on 2 wheels is , wear a High Vis or similar so as to be seen , plus obey the Rules of our roads more

Unfortunately, no professional certification of the health-related aspects of driving is required. I am in the bracket where I need to renew my driving license every three years, but all I have to do is make a declaration that I am fit enough and can see well enough. I meet the requirements, but how many simply tick the boxes without even thinking about it? There was a recent case in my region where a baby was killed and a young mother nearly killed by a driver who should not have been driving on health grounds. I've known several people - especially elderly people - who should not have been driving, but were either unaware of their loss of facilities or simply couldn't bear the idea of "giving up their freedom" - in many rural areas, if you can't drive you are almost house-bound. Another issue is that you actually have to have severely restricted eyesight before you fail to meet the minimum requirement for eyesight (reading a numberplate at 25 yards is hardly a high bar, and doesn't test restricted vision of other kinds at all), and several quite common disabilities don't figure. Of course, if you're found to be driving while medically or optically unfit, it will invalidate your insurance, and add an extra charge to the list of reasons why you were stopped! But in the case I mentioned above, I think the driver was actually found to be unfit to plead! LATER - actually, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity caused by dementia.

Some health issues will result in the doctor advising you that you are unfit to drive, which automatically invalidates your insurance - I had that happen when I was (briefly) suspected of epilepsy. Under those circumstances, I had to surrender my license and provide evidence that I was fit to drive before regaining it. But such circumstances are rare.

 

[Wansworth]

Here in Spain over 70 you need an eye test at designated centre,cost35euros lasts5 years to drive a car

 

[Tintin]

Because the light filter could get lost or be inaccessible just when it's needed. Also, using it means that the user is seeing one colour only, and the bigger picture may be hard to determine - you need to see red and green simultaneously to visualize the buoys marking a winding channel, for example; I know a place where seeing only red or only green could lead you into trouble. Problems with eye-sight are a red line in many fields; I have had poor eyesight since childhood, so I've always known that some professions were barred for me - fortunately not ones I wanted to do! I am fortunate in that I know I have good colour vision - I had it checked while at University because some aspects of the microscopic examination of thin sections of rock required very faint shades to be distinguished, and I was uncertain whether I was getting it right. I was!

When I did my Geology O Level we had a colour blind test, and if you failed, which I did, you could ask for help in the thin section exam part, which basically meant the teacher told you what each mineral was. Very useful.