No, there have been
many recent changes, thanks to the excellent work of the CAA's Dr. Sally Evans!
From the Draft Opinion for part-MED:
LAPL medical certificates shall be issued by an AeMC, an AME or, if permitted under the national law of the licensing authority, by a GMP.
(AeMC = Aeromedical Centre, AME = Aeromedical Examiner, GMP = General Medical Practitioner).
MED.E.035 Requirements for general medical practitioners
(a) GMPs shall act as AMEs for issuing LAPL medical certificates only
(1) if they exercise their activity in a Member State where GMPs have appropriate access to the full medical records of applicants; and
(2) in accordance with any additional requirements established under national law.
(b) In order to issue LAPL medical certificates, general medical practitioners (GMP) shall be fully qualified and licensed for the practice of medicine in accordance with national law.
(c) GMPs acting as AMEs shall declare their activity to the competent authority.
The focus now is on 'assessment' rather than clinical examination. The
full definition of 'assessment' in this context is:
‘Assessment’ means the conclusion on the medical fitness of a person based on the evaluation of the person’s medical history and/or aero-medical examinations as required in this Part and further examinations as necessary, and/or medical tests such as, but not limited to, ECG, blood pressure measurement, blood testing, X-ray.
Note the words 'as necessary' - this doesn't mean that every single item is mandatory!
As for the LAPL assessment itself:
MED.B.095 Medical examination of applicants for LAPL medical certificates
(a) An applicant for a LAPL medical certificate shall be assessed based on aero medical best practice.
(b) Special attention shall be given to the applicant’s complete medical history.
(c) The aero-medical examination shall include at least the following:
(1) clinical examination;
(2) blood pressure;
(3) urine test;
(4) vision;
(5) hearing ability.
(d) After the first issue of a LAPL medical certificate, the aero-medical examinations until the age of 50 can be reduced with due regard to the evaluation of the applicant’s medical history.
Validity periods will be as follows:
LAPL medical certificates shall be valid for a period of:
(i) 60 months until the licence holder reaches the age of 40. A medical certificate issued prior to reaching the age of 40 shall cease to be valid after the licence holder reaches the age of 42;
(ii) 24 months after the age of 40.
All of the foregoing is subject to approval by the European Parliament.