Terms and Conditions of Centreline
Thank you very much for choosing Centreline Aviation Medical Services for your Class 1 medical. We have prepared the following notes which we hope will improve the understanding of the process.
The Class 1 Initial medical will consist of a comprehensive physical and psychological assessment, as required by the competent authorities and governing bodies of Aviation to which you are applying. This is the case even if you currently hold a valid Class 1 medical with another authority.
Details of all your current and past medical history are required, even if another authority has previously recorded it. If there are any abnormal findings on your Class 1 examination, this may result in your being declared unfit, and your other class 1 medical being revoked. If there are abnormal findings, they will require further investigation. If, on a subsequent investigation, no abnormality is found, that is reassuring, but does not necessarily invalidate our result.
All our equipment is regularly calibrated as required by the regulatory authority. Despite this, there remains the possibility of false negative and false positive results.
If a certificate cannot be issued after the medical as further information is required, you are responsible for obtaining the information and any costs incurred. Once all the information is received it will be collated, reviewed, and a referral made to the authority. It may take the authority many weeks to assess the case and respond. Centreline contracts several Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) to undertake work on its behalf and your case may be discussed with and be dealt with by an AME other than one undertaking your medical.
AMEs represent the authority and collect data and information on its behalf. They are obliged to pass on all relevant information from all communications with the applicant and them and or supporting staff. It is with this understanding that all authorities require a signature on the medical application form (MED 160), confirming that not only a full health declaration has been made, but also that all information may be shared. If you provide us with any information at any time, it may be shared with the authority. If you feel the information is confidential, please let us know in advance. However, we may be obliged to share it with the authority if any risk to flight safety is perceived.
If you state that information cannot be shared with the authority, we may not be able to issue a certificate and may have to revoke an existing certificate.
A chaperone will be offered at the medical. If the staff omit this, please feel free to request a chaperone; one will be made available.
All complaints are shared with the relevant authority. Please note our complaint procedure on the website There may be additional fees charged such as for fitness management and reviewing detailed medical records. The details are on the website and available from staff.
Chaperone Policy and Process
Aim
Centreline Aviation Medical Centre is committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment where patients and staff can be confident that best practice is being followed at all times and the safety of everyone is of paramount importance.
Policy
All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they consider one is required. Clinicians may also request a chaperone at any stage of the consultation. The chaperone must be impartial. It is preferable for the chaperone to be a member of staff that has been trained to act as chaperone.
Patients are advised to ask for a chaperone if required, at the time of booking an appointment, if possible, so that arrangements can be made and the appointment is not delayed in any way. The Healthcare Professional may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations.
Patients under 18 years of age or female visitors who are not accompanied and assessed by a male doctor, will be provided with a chaperone.
All staff are aware of and have received appropriate information in relation to this Chaperone Policy.
All staff acting as chaperones understand their role and responsibilities and are competent to perform that role.
There is no common definition of a chaperone and their role varies considerably depending on the needs of the patient, the healthcare professional and the examination being carried out.
Their role can be considered in any of the following areas:
- Emotional comfort and reassurance to patients
- Assist in examination
- Assist in undressing
- Act as interpreter
- Protection to the healthcare professional against allegations / attack
Process
Checklist for consultations involving intimate examinations
Chaperones are most often required or requested where a male examiner is carrying out an intimate examination or procedure on a female patient, but the designation of the chaperone will depend on the role expected of them, whether participating in the procedure or providing a supportive role.
Establish there is a genuine need for an intimate examination and discuss this with the patient and whether a formal chaperone (such as a nurse) is needed.
Explain to the patient why an examination is necessary and give the patient an opportunity to ask questions. The chaperone would normally be the same sex as the patient and the patient will have the opportunity to decline a particular person as a chaperone, if that person is considered not acceptable for any reason.
Offer an impartial chaperone. A family member or friend can be present with this chaperone if the client requests it.
Record the name of the chaperone and their position. A signature is required on the patient’s paperwork to confirm their presence during the examination.
If the patient does not want a chaperone, record that the offer was made and declined in the patient’s notes. The applicant’s paperwork should be signed with their signature if this is the case.
Obtain the patient’s consent before the examination and be prepared to discontinue the examination at any stage at the patient’s request.
Record that permission has been obtained in the patient’s notes.
Once the chaperone has entered the room, they should be introduced by name and the patient allowed privacy to undress / dress. Use drapes / curtains where possible to maintain dignity. There should be no undue delay prior to examination once the patient has removed any clothing.
Explain what is being done at each stage of the examination, the outcome when it is complete and what is proposed to be done next. Keep discussion relevant and avoid personal comment.
During the examination, the chaperone may be needed to offer reassurance, remain alert to any indication of distress but should be courteous at all times.
Record any other relevant issues or concerns in the patient’s notes immediately following the consultation.
Chaperones should only attend the part of the consultation that is necessary – other verbal communication should be carried out when the chaperone has left.
Any request that the examination be discontinued should be respected.
A notice offering a chaperone is displayed in the waiting areas and consulting rooms.
Healthcare professionals should note that they are at an increased risk of their actions being misconstrued or misrepresented, if they conduct intimate examinations where no other person is present. The clinician may decline to carry out the examination/procedure if the patient declines a chaperone but the clinician wants one present.
Key points to remember
- Inform your patients of the clinic or organisation’s chaperone policy.
- Record the use, offer and declining of a chaperone in the patient’s notes.
- Ensure training for all chaperones.
- HCPs do not have to undertake an examination if a chaperone is declined.
- Be sensitive to a patient’s ethnic/religious and cultural background. The patient may have a cultural dislike to being touched by a person of another sex or undressing.
- Do not proceed with an examination if you feel the patient has not understood due to a language barrier or any other reason.
GMC guidance on intimate examinations can be found here:
Complaint Resolution Procedure
If you are unhappy with the facilities or services you have received from this practice or from the doctor looking after you we would like to know about it as soon as possible so we can investigate your concerns and explain, apologise and take positive action where necessary. In most circumstances, if you tell us about your concern quickly, we can resolve matters straightaway. To let us know about something with which you are unhappy please speak with Dr CJ King in the first instance.
If you are not fully satisfied you can put your concerns in writing and use our formal Complaint Resolution Procedure and also the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS).
The Complaint Resolution Procedure has three stages and reflects the principles of the ISCAS Code of Practice:
| Stage 1 | Local resolution within the individual practice |
| Stage 2 | Doctor’s Governing Body Complaint Resolution Procedure to review the complaint |
| Stage 3 | Independent Adjudication from ISCAS |
Stage 1
To start the formal Complaint Resolution Procedure you should write to:
Named person in the practice
Address 22 Upper Wimpole St London W1G 6NB
You should state what has caused you to have concerns and make your points clear. Please document when the relevant events took place and what results you expect from your complaint.
The Practice will send you an acknowledgement of your letter within three working days of receipt of the complaint (unless the practice is able to provide you with a full response within five days).
A full response to your complaint will be made within twenty days of the receipt of the complaint. If the investigation is still in progress after twenty days a letter will be sent to you explaining the delay and a full response made within five days of reaching a conclusion. In any event a holding letter will be sent every twenty days where an investigation is continuing.
If you remain dissatisfied following the final response from the practice, then you can request a review of your complaint, known as Stage 2 by writing to the doctor’s governing body for appraisal and revalidation.
Stage 2
The Complaint Resolution Procedure will consider your complaint and will undertake a review of the documentation, any correspondence and the handling of the complaint at Stage 1. The Chief executive Officer will write to you according to the procedures and in any event within twenty days to either confirm the outcome at stage 1 or to offer an alternative resolution.
At this time the governing body will advise you of your right to take the matter further to Independent Adjudication known as ISCAS and stage 3 in these procedures.
Throughout the process all information, documents and records relevant to your complaint will be treated in the strictest confidence and no information will be divulged to any parties who are not involved in the IDF Complaint Resolution Procedure, unless required to do so by law.
Stage 3
This stage is only available to complainants who remain dissatisfied once Stage 1 and Stage 2 are exhausted.
A complainant should then request the Adjudication by writing to the Secretariat:
Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS)
Care of CEDR – Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution
International Dispute Resolution Centre
70 Fleet Street
London EC4Y 1EU
Tel: 0207 536 6091
Email: info@iscas.org.uk
This written request for adjudication must be made within 6 months of the final determination by Stage 2. The complainant at Stage 3 should provide reasons to explain the dissatisfaction with the outcome of Stage 2. The ISCAS Secretariat will seek confirmation from the IDF that Stage 2 has been completed.
The ISCAS Secretariat will notify the governing body of a request for Stage 3 made directly within ten days. The Secretariat will then be the main contact for the complainant once Adjudication is started. A complainant accessing this service will be asked to consent to release of records from the practice and the IDF relevant to the complaint and a report will be made to the complainant, the practice and the governing body.
Additional information for patients about ISCAS can be found at: http://www.iscas.org.uk/patients–complaints–process
The Care Quality Commission
Some healthcare services are required to be registered by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which regulates Health and Adult Social Care Services. The CQC does not investigate complaints but considers relevant information about practices providing regulated activities within the terms of the legislation. They can be contacted at:
CQC National Correspondence
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA
ISCAS- www.iscas.org.uk CQC – www.cqc.org.uk
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