MCA Apprenticeships: A Day in the Life

A day in the life of a Medical Casework Officer, at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency

The Seafarer Safety and Health Branch is located at the MCA in Southampton (HQ).

This is a customer facing role within the Medical Administration Team which is a small operational team providing frontline customer service. We administer a helpline for MCA approved doctors who require clinical advice from the MCA’s Chief Medical Adviser or administration advice.

The Casework Officer’s main role is to process the ML5 appeals before they are sent to the Medical Assessors for a decision on the fitness of a seafarer to undertake employment and record the outcome. And to provide advice and guidance to the RYA and MCA Marine Offices in relation to ML5 applications.

The Branch comprises of three teams; Medical Administration, Human Element and Seafarer Safety and Health.

The key work of the Medical Administration team is below:

• Receive, open and manage all incoming mail, including fax and emails. Daily management of the branch email box.
• Provide customer service, answering telephone enquiries / emails / letters from seafarers, Approved Doctors, Marine Offices, industry etc in relation to the medical certification of seafarers.
• Process and manage ML5 medical referrals, ensuring all medical reports and referral forms are fully complete prior to submission to the ML5 medical assessor. Verify and process quarterly invoices.
• Act as focal point for enquiries in relation to ML5 referrals, for the four medical assessors, the RYA, Marine Offices, doctors and seafarers ensuring any correspondence is updated on file and referrals are dealt with within 10 working days.
• Assist in the recruitment of Approved Doctors by arranging trawl notification, monitoring and collating application forms for submission to the Chief Medical Adviser and preparing appointment packs for successful candidates.
• Process ENG 1 medical referrals, updating the branch database with those who are referred to appeal, issuing standard letters to notify the seafarer, AD and medical referee that the appeal has been lodged.

Are you interested in applying for the Medical Casework Officer role at Maritime and Coastguard Agency? Please click here!

VERCIDA works with over one hundred clients who are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. If you are an employer and interested in working with VERCIDA to promote your diversity and inclusion initiatives and attract the best candidates, please call 02037405973 or email [email protected] for more information.

We are also officially recommended by Disability Confident as a step on achieving Employer status, please click here for more information.