Helpful Information
Which Medical Do I Need? It is very important that you check with your employer/operator precisely which medical you require to undertake your proposed work. Particularly with respect to the Near Offshore and Landbased Renewable Energy sector, there appears some degree of confusion amongst prospective and current workers regarding which medical they require.
We regret that we cannot be held responsible if, retrospectively, it turns out the incorrect medical has been undertaken. It is your responsibility to check BEFORE you book the medical.
Chaperone Policy
Any person of either sex can either bring or ask for provision of a chaperone to be present during the medical examination. If you would like one provided, please send and email to us at info@humbermed.co.uk requesting this, as it might be difficult to provide at short notice.
The medical does not involve any form of intimate examination, but will require removal of some clothing to undertake the required examination.
LGV (HGV) and PCV (Group 2) medicals
To get a Provisional / Learner Licence to drive a truck or bus / coach you must have a medical examination undertaken by a Doctor. The medical doesn't have to be completed by your own local GP who may charge you much more.
What to bring with you for your HGV or LGV / PCV medical:
- Photo ID - this is essential as the medical cannot be undertaken without confirmation of you identity;
- Spectacles / Contact Lenses (if you wear them) together with your Prescription from the Optician which must be dated within the last 12 months, as our doctor will need to see this to complete the paperwork required by the DVLA. We will carry out a sight test as part of the medical, but if you wear glasses or contacts to drive and cannot provide a recent prescription from the optician then you will need to see an Optician BEFORE you attend for the medical.
- Be prepared to pass a urine specimen at the time of the examination.
- A list of medication taken.
If you have any significant ongoing medical condition it may be helpful for you to bring with you and GP/Hospital letters or other information concerning your condition.
After your medical examination with your consent we will take a copy of the completed application form. This can be helpful if there are any queries later or if your application for any reason does not get to the DVLA. If the doctor does not take a scanned copy of the application form please call at the reception before you leave.
Please note that the minimum medical standards for Eyesight were altered by the DVLA in May 2012 (further information is available on the DVLAs website). The advice here if you are unsure whether your eyesight meets the new standard or if you have not had an eye examination undertaken by an Optician within the last 2 years is to book an Opticians appointment to be sure your eyesight is good enough BEFORE you come for your appointment.
The most common reason to Fail the medical is when a person does not meet the eyesight standard. The minimum eyesight standard set for LGV/PCV drivers (C1, C1+E, D1, D1+E, C, C+E, D and D+E) is higher than that required for car drivers.
If you are currently driving on a Group 2 Licence it is your responsibility to ensure that your eye sight is good enough to meet the standard otherwise you are breaking the law.
The DVLA sets the medical standards for Group 2 driving licence entitlement. There is some very useful information that you can download here that outlines some of the important points of the medical.
A D4 medical form will need to be filled out by the doctor at the time of your examination. You can download a D4 form from here (via the DVLA Website) although we do have plenty of them at the clinic. There is a very useful explanatory leaflet (called Inf4D) about the D4 form, which is also available to download from here
Please note we CAN NOT undertake Taxi Medicals, these must be undertaken by your GP as they need to be carried out taking into account the applicants full medical records.
HSE Dive Medicals
Dr Williams is Registered with the HSE as an Approved Medical Examiner of Divers and undertakes the HSE Diving medicals for Humbermed Limited. (Please note Dr Williams retired for the NHS in September 2018 but continues to work for Humbermed Limited).
At the earliest possible stage, it is in their own interest that people considering a career in diving should complete a medical questionnaire that looks at whether anything in their medical history would preclude them from a long-term career in diving. The questionnaire can be downloaded from here: Medical Questionnaire for Diving at Work. After completion of the questionnaire by the candidate diver it needs confirmation by the divers GP. The GP is not required to physically examine the diver to confirm the medical history. General advice to the GP on medical standards for diving is contained on the HSE Diving Website. Your GP will need to sign and stamp the questionnaire form which you will need to bring with you to your First HSE Dive medical appointment, as without this we will not be able to undertake the HSE Dive Medical (this is not our decision it is the HSE Diving Division and they can be contacted by email:- diving@hse.gov.uk).
'The Medical Assessment and Examination of Divers Information (MA1)' which can be downloaded from here: MA1.
Do I need a First (Initial) or Renewal HSE Diving Medical?
This is more complicated than you think.
The following divers will need to have a First (Initial) HSE Diving Medical:
1. All divers attending for their first HSE Diving Medical;
2. Existing Divers whose last diving medical has expired.
Only HSE divers who hold a valid and in date MA2 certificate may apply for a Renewal HSE Diving Medical.
At the First HSE Dive Medical Appointment the medical questionnaire will be examined by the AMED. The presence of a disqualifying medical condition at this stage may avoid the expense of inappropriately proceeding to a full initial HSE medical examination.
Before beginning training and or assessment you must pass an initial medical examination carried out by an AMED (Approved Medical Examiner of Divers) to ensure you are medically fit to dive. The AMED also needs to make you aware of any underlying health problems, which could affect your fitness in the future. If you pass the medical you will be issued with a certificate of medical fitness to dive, which is valid for up to 12 months. This must be renewed annually and will include a fitness test.
For the initial medical examination (HSE Dive Medical - First), it is important to bring with you the above referred to questionnaire, signed and stamped by your GP. If you do not as already mentioned, we shall be unable to proceed with the examination.
What to bring with you for your Dive medical:
- Photo ID - - this is essential as the medical cannot be undertaken without confirmation of you identity;
- Spectacles/contact lenses (if you wear them);
- Be prepared to pass a urine specimen at the time of the examination;
- A list of medication taken;
- Trainers/shorts for the exercise test;
- For your first medical the Annex A questionnaire referred to above;
- For renewals your previous dive medical MA2 form and dive log book(s).
Please note that our doctors do NOT undertake PADI recreational dive medical examinations.
Offshore Energies UK (OGUK) Medicals
Both Dr Clayton and Dr Williams are registered with OEUK and are able to undertake the required medical assessments stipulated by Offshore Energies UK Ltd.
Every offshore worker must undergo and pass a medical examination which classifies them as medically fit to work in the offshore environment. For UK waters, only physicians who are approved by the Offshore Energies UK Health Advisory Committee, should carry out the examination. Offshore Energies UK were previously known as Oil and Gas UK and prior to that UKOOA.
Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) has introduced revised medical guidelines which come into force from the 1st May 2024.
As approved OEUK doctors, we must follow this new guidance.
The following are some examples, which may help you to prepare for your medical.
- If you have any significant ongoing medical condition, it may be helpful for you to bring with you any GP or Hospital letters or other information concerning your condition.
- The revised OEUK Medical Guidelines have become more stringent regarding weight, high blood pressure and diabetic control.
- If you are classified as being clinically obese (especially if your calculated body mass index BMI is above 40) and or have any on going medical conditions, the duration of certification is likely to be reduced or it may not be possible to provide at all.
- If your BMI is 40-45, you will also need to pass a 6 minute walk test (for which there is an extra charge) and provide a certificate from your employer confirming that you can:-
Don and fasten a standard Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approved and marine issue life jacket over a survival suit and
- Sit in a standard helicopter seat and fasten a 3-point harness.
- If your BMI is 45 or above, it is likely that you will not receive a standard certificate at all.
Example:
For a height of 5' 9 " (175cm), BMI is over 40 if weight is above 19 stone 3 pounds (122Kg).
If you do have significant health issues, your certification may need to be location-specific and require additional approval from the operating platform medical advisor.
Please help us and yourself by reading this information carefully and bringing the appropriate information with you to your medical.
You can book an OEUK medical and have the Assessment of Fitness for in-water training using Category A PSTASS Emergency Breathing Equipment medical done at the same time - just select this option when booking your medical using the online booking system.
If you would like to download, print out and complete the OEUK medical questionnaire form, please bring it with you when you come for the medical, this will save you completing the form at the surgery prior to the medical examination.
What to bring with you for your offshore medical:
- Photo ID - this is essential as the medical cannot be undertaken without confirmation of you identity;
- Spectacles/contact lenses (if you wear them);
- Be prepared to pass a urine specimen at the time of the examination;
- A list of medication taken.
- If you have any significant ongoing medical condition it may be helpful for you to bring with you and GP/Hospital letters or other information concerning your condition.
Wind Farm (RUK) Medicals
Wind Farms are an expanding technology and the Standards for Fitness for work on these farms is essentially being driven by RenewableUK. At the moment, there are no specific registration or regulatory requirements for doctors wishing to undertake these medicals. However, it is acknowledged by RenewableUK that doctors regularly undertaking OGUK medicals are well placed to effectively assess an individuals fitness for work in this industry sector.
Further information is available from the RenewableUK.com website.
'Windfarm Medicals' are very similar to the OEUK medical with an additional requirement to undertake an exercise (Chester Step) test.
Please advise the doctor at the time of the medical if you also require an OGUK and Chester Step Test Certificate as well as the RUK Certificate.
What to bring with you for your Windfarm medical:
- Photo ID - this is essential as the medical cannot be undertaken without confirmation of you identity;
- spectacles/contact lenses (if you wear them);
- be prepared to pass a urine specimen at the time of the examination;
- a list of medication taken;
- trainers/shorts for the exercise test.