Case Management Explained 

Following the closure of the Aeromedical Centre at Gatwick in 2016, the role of the AME has changed and our workload has increased accordingly. AMEs are now responsible for management of ECGs and all casework, which was previously managed by the CAA. There are some differences between Class 1/3 and Class 2 responsibilities, which are outlined below. Please refer to the website page on Fees for a guide to charges.

Class 1/3 Medicals

Medical

Your AME will perform the medical and load it onto the CAA online record system. 

If you have an ECG, it may need over reading by a cardiologist. The cardiologist charges a fee to over read the ECG. The AME has to scan the ECG and send it to the cardiologist together with any previous ECG/report taken from your CAA electronic record. The AME will review the report, when it is returned, and may need to write to you if you require further investigations. You may also need a referral letter to a local cardiologist. All ECGs have to be scanned and uploaded to your CAA electronic record.

If you do not meet the vision standards on the day of your medical then you may be required to attend an optician for an eye test. If you require new glasses in order to meet the vision standards, you will be required to attend for a review appointment (with your new glasses) to ensure that you are now able to meet the standards. This should be booked as a review appointment and has a charge

If you meet the regulatory standards and are assessed as “Fit”, then your medical is printed and issued on the day of the medical. 

Decrease in Medical Fitness

It is your responsibility to inform your AME if there has been any decrease in fitness, as per the information printed on the front of your medical certificate. If you are unsure about anything, then it is important to check that you still meet the regulatory standards for medical fitness. 

If your medical condition is more serious and you no longer meet the regulatory standards for fitness, then your AME will have to make you “temporarily unfit”. When you have completed any required investigations or treatment, and wish to return to fitness, your AME will require specialist reports in order to make an assessment.  You may also require a face to face review appointment with your AME. These activities take time and may involve several e mails or telephone calls, they are charged as Case Management.

One of the roles of the AME is to gather all the reports and information together, and then review it,  in order to make a fit assessment. For most cases, a recommendation can be made for a return to fitness, and the AME will make the necessary changes on the computer system  to issue a certificate. In all cases the AME has to scan the reports onto  your CAA electronic record.

You are able to appeal any decisions made by the AME, through the secondary review process which can be found on the CAA website: https://www.caa.co.uk/our-work/make-a-report-or-complaint/appeals/

Please note that there are a number of conditions which are mandatory for AMEs to discuss with, or send as a Case referral to the CAA medical department. During the review process, the CAA medical department may communicate with you directly and request fruther information/reports from you. You may be required to attend the CAA medical department for Specialist review. Your AME cannot speed up the process of review, but is the conduit for communication between you and the CAA medical department. 

Class 2 Medicals

Medical

Your AME will perform the medical and load the medical onto the CAA online record system. 

If you meet the regulatory standards and are assessed as “Fit”, then your medical is usually printed and issued on the day of the medical.  For Class 2 and LAPL medicals, the AME is responsible for all fitness assessment and decision making.  You are able to appeal any decisions made by the AME, through the secondary review process which can be found on the CAA website: https://www.caa.co.uk/our-work/make-a-report-or-complaint/appeals/

If you do not meet the vision standards on the day of your medical then you may be required to attend an optician for an eye test. If you require new glasses in order to meet the vision standards, you will be required to attend for a review appointment (with your new glasses) to ensure that you are able to meet the standards. This should be booked as a review appointment and has a charge

If you have an ECG, this may need over reading by a consultant cardiologist. The cardiologist charges a fee to over read the ECG. The AME has to scan the ECG together with any previous ECG/report from your electronic CAA record and send it to the cardiologist. The AME will review the report when it is returned and may need to write to you if you require further investigations. You may also need a referral letter to a local cardiologist.

Reports

The AME may not have enough information to make a “Fit” assessment at the time of your medical. In order to assess that you meet the regulatory standards, you may be asked by the AME for extra reports either from your GP or a Specialist. Once you have provided the reports, the AME will review the information provided and check the guidance material provided by the CAA and review the regulations. If enough information is available in the report and a decision can be made by the AME, then your medical will be processed further.

Sometimes the medical problem is complex and your AME may need to contact the CAA for further advice. These activities take time, and may involve numerous e mails and telephone calls, they are charged for as Case management.

Decrease in Medical Fitness

It is your responsibility to inform your AME if there has been any decrease in fitness as per the information printed on the front of your medical certificate. We do not charge for a simple e mail or telephone advice regarding a question of decrease in medical fitness.

If your condition means that you no longer meet that regulatory standards for fitness, then your AME will have to make you “temporarily unfit”. When you have completed any required treatment and wish to return to flying, your AME will require specialist reports in order to assess your return to fitness. You may also require a face to face review appointment with your AME. These activities take time and may involve several e mails or telephone calls, they are charged as Case Management. Every episode of decrease in medical fitness incurs a charge.