CAT.GEN.MPA.215 Support programme

PRINCIPLES GOVERNING A SUPPORT PROGRAMME The access to a support programme should:

(a)enable self-declaration or referral in case of a decrease in a flight crew’s medical fitness with an emphasis on prevention and early support; and

(b)if appropriate, allow the flight crew to receive temporary relief from flight duties and be referred to professional advice.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROTECTION OF DATA

(a)The personal data of flight crew who have been referred to a support programme should be handled in a confidential, non-stigmatising, and safe environment.

(b)A culture of mutual trust and cooperation should be maintained so that the flight crew is less likely to hide a condition and more likely to report and seek help.

(c)Disclosure of data to the operator may only be granted in an anonymised manner such as in the form of aggregated statistical data and only for purposes of safety management so as not to compromise the voluntary participation in a support programme, thereby compromising flight safety.

(d)Notwithstanding the above, an agreement with related procedures should be in place between the operator and the support programme on how to proceed in case of a serious safety concern.

ELEMENTS OF A SUPPORT PROGRAMME

(a)A support programme should contain as a minimum the following elements:

(1)procedures including education of flight crew regarding self-awareness and facilitation of self-referral;

(2)assistance provided by professionals, including mental and psychological health professionals with relevant knowledge of the aviation environment;

(3)involvement of trained peers, where trained peers are available;

(4)monitoring of the efficiency and effectiveness of the programme;

(5)monitoring and support of the process of returning to work;

(6)management of risks resulting from fear of loss of licence; and

(7)a referral system to an aero-medical examiner in defined cases raising serious safety concerns.

(b)A support programme should be linked to the management system of the operator, provided that data is used for purposes of safety management and is anonymised and aggregated to ensure confidentiality.

TRAINING AND AWARENESS

(a)The operator should promote access to the support programme for all flight crew.

(b)Professionals, including mental and psychological health professionals, as well as trained peers, where trained peers are available, that are involved in the support programme, should receive initial and recurrent training related to their role and function within the support programme.

SUPPORT PROGRAMME

(a)A support programme is a proactive programme applying the principles of ‘just culture’ as defined in Regulation (EU) No 376/2014, whereby the senior management of the operator, mental health professionals, trained peers, and in many cases representative organisations of crew members work together to enable self-declaration, referral, advice, counselling and/or treatment, where necessary, in case of a decrease in medical fitness.

(b)The support programme should be easily accessible for flight crew, and should provide adequate means of support at the earliest stages.

FACILITATION OF TRUST IN THE SUPPORT PROGRAMME Essential trust between management and crew is the foundation for a successful support programme. This trust can be facilitated by:

(a)establishing a platform for multi-stakeholder participation and partnership in the governance process of the support programme by involving flight crew representatives from one or more operators and representatives of the relevant operator. In some cases, a multi-stakeholder platform may also include representatives of the competent authority;

(b)participation of the representatives of those personnel covered by the support programme in the design, implementation and operation of the support programme;

(c)a formal agreement between management and crew, identifying the procedures for the use of data, its protection and confidentiality;

(d)clear and unambiguous provisions on data protection;

(e)senior management’s demonstrated commitment to promote a proactive safety culture;

(f)a non-punitive operator policy that also covers the support programme;

(g)support programme management by staff either established within the operator or by a separate independent organisation;

(h)involvement of persons with appropriate expertise when advising crews (for example, pilot peers with similar cultural backgrounds and professional staff with appropriate training in e.g. psychology, etc.);

(i)a structured system to protect the confidentiality of personal data; and

(j)an efficient communication system that promotes the benefits of the support programme, such as its positive impacts, temporary relief from duties without fear of dismissal, management of risks resulting from fear of loss of licence.

TRAINING AND AWARENESS

(a)When promoting the benefits of the support programme, the operator should stress at least the following elements of the programme:

(1)positive impacts of a support programme;

(2)awareness of job stressors and life stressors — mental fitness and mental health;

(3)coping strategies;

(4)potential effects of psychoactive substances and their use or misuse;

(5)medication use (prescribed and over-the-counter medication) to ensure the safe exercise of the privileges of the licence whilst taking medication;

(6)early recognition of mental unfitness;

(7)principles and availability of a support programme; and

(8)data protection and confidentiality principles.

(b)Mental health professionals involved in the support programme should be trained on:

(1)psychological first aid;

(2)applicable legal requirements regarding data protection; and

(3)cases where information should be disclosed due to an immediate and evident safety threat and in the interest of public safety.

(c)Peers involved in the support programme should receive practically orientated basic training in psychological first aid and regular refresher trainings.

ELEMENTS CONTRIBUTING TO A SUPPORT PROGRAMME When implementing a support programme, the operator should pay attention to the following:

(a)establishment and verification of operational and data protection procedures;

(b)selection and training of dedicated and experienced staff and peers;

(c)offer of motivating alternative positions to flight crew in case a return to in-flight duties is not possible; and

(d)limitation of the financial consequences of a loss of licence, for example through extending loss of licence coverage.

POSSIBILITY TO CONTRACT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SUPPORT PROGRAMME TO A THIRD PARTY The operator may contract the establishment of a support programme to a third party. For a smaller-sized operator, the synergies created by a third-party support programme can be beneficial and in some cases may provide the only feasible option to ensure access to a support programme or to ensure availability of trained peers.

OBLIGATION TO SEEK AERO-MEDICAL ADVICE IN CASE OF A DECREASE IN MEDICAL FITNESS Joining a support programme does not remove the flight crew’s obligation to seek aero-medical advice in case of a decrease in medical fitness in accordance with MED.A.020 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011.

SCOPE OF THE SUPPORT PROGRAMME Nothing should prevent an operator from extending the scope of the support programme to include, apart from flight crew, other safety-sensitive categories personnel, e.g. cabin crew or maintenance, as well.

MEANING OF THE TERM ‘PEER’

(a)In the context of a support programme, a ‘peer’ is a trained person who shares common professional qualifications and experience, and has encountered similar situations, problems or conditions with the person seeking assistance from a support programme. This may or may not be a person working in the same organisation as the person seeking assistance from the support programme.

(b)A peer’s involvement in a support programme can be beneficial due to similar professional backgrounds between the peer and the person seeking support. However, a mental health professional should support the peer when required, e.g. in cases where intervention is required to prevent endangering safety.