Decision on outsourcing of medical centre is ‘not one founded on safety’

Staff and passenger safety could be put at risk by a decision of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), to proceed with the outsourcing of its medical services. The warning comes from the PCS and Prospect unions that represent staff employed by the aviation regulator.

The unions say that the move is being made despite overwhelming opposition from stakeholders during an earlier consultation. They criticised the decision after the CAA confirmed earlier this year that it will look at ways to outsource the Aeromedical Centre (AeMC) which provides medical services to pilots and air traffic controllers and expert advice to airlines.

Responses to the CAA’s consultation, held last year, show the majority of views — including those of airlines, unions, pilots and aeronautical medical examiners — were against the outsourcing plans. The unions believe that the CAA did not consider the views of stakeholders that all medical services should remain within the CAA and accuse the CAA of simply “going through the motions” in its consultation exercise.

Jeremy Gautrey, PCS national officer for aviation, said that the decision to disregard the majority views, including one of the UK’s biggest airlines, “is clearly a commercial decision and not one founded on safety”.

And Steve Jary, Prospect national officer for aviation, said: “Outsourcing essential medical services will result in a poorer service to pilots, airlines and the travelling public.”

www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/pcs_comment.cfm/privatisation-threatens-airline-safety

www.prospect.org.uk/news/id/2015/February/26/CAA-unions-warn-on-safety