Weapons Grade:
“The following is an excerpt of correspondence from Aviation Medicine, which may shed some light on delays in issuing a medical certificate, notwithstanding the unusual high backlog of re-issuing medical certificates.
xWhen an application for a medical certificate may include particular diagnoses, indicate multiple conditions, or are in any other way considered complex, the application is circulated across a team of doctors in CASA who are trained in aviation medicine.
They study the case to determine possible risks to aviation safety and to determine any required surveillance. This ensures that such matters have the benefit of multiple medical perspectives, and it is CASA’s view that this collegial arrangement improves the quality of aeromedical decision making. This process is referred to as Complex Case Management.
The work-up of these cases can take about a week, and the discussion typically occurs in the next week. In some cases, there may be a need for additional information or for a specialist consultant opinion.
This is a management procedure called “diffusion of responsibility”. It’s purpose is to shield AVMED and its staff from the consequences of their decision to give you a medical certificate should you a medical episode during flight..
Unfortunately, this safety process takes time because diffusion is not instantaneous. There needs to be a paper trail which can’t be created overnight.
‘’AVMED is now hoist with its own petard.