Nautilus is encouraging UK members to take part in a consultation on whether the fixed price for seafarer medicals (ENG1) should be abolished.
The reasoning behind the consultation is that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) believes the current low fee deters approved doctors (ADs) from providing medicals. ADs are a network of doctors, both in the UK and around the globe, that the MCA has approved to carry out ENG1 examinations on seafarers.
The MCA says that allowing the fee to be set by market forces could allow approved doctors to 'recover a fee that is more comparable to the time taken for the medical'.
However, Nautilus head of professional and technical David Appleton believes the move may drive up prices for seafarers.
'We are concerned that removing the cap and leaving pricing up to 'market forces' could lead to significant price increases especially in parts of the country where there is already a shortage of MCA approved doctors,' he said.
The consultation runs until 11 August and response forms found on the gov.uk website should be sent, in Word format, to medical@mcga.gov.uk.
Tags
More articles
'Ships Salute' for Queen's Platinum Jubilee
Merchant Navy vessels in the UK are preparing to join in a special nationwide 'Ships Salute' for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Wales TUC in unanimous support for Nautilus motions
Nautilus International received unanimous support for its motions on green shipping corridors and maritime education from affiliates and trades union councils, at the Wales Trades Union Congress (TUC Cymru).
MAIB highlights poor training and inadequate PPE in fumigant poisoning incident
A UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report on a fumigant poisoning accident that left one person injured has found that officers and inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) contributed to the incident.