After concerns were raised about the mental health of flight crew and air traffic controllers (ATCOs), the aviation regulator proposed various measures, including mental health assessment during the medical assessments and peer support programme.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has identified three major domains where the interventions were recommended, namely Mental Health Assessment during the medical assessments, Peer Support Programme (PSP), and pre-employment psychological assessment.
Also, the regulator said some quick and effective methods to assess mental health that can easily be performed by the DGCA-empanelled medical examiners during the medical examination have been recommended.
“These testing instruments consist of small questionnaires and interview techniques only, hence, will not substantially impact the current medical examination process for the license holders as well as the medical examiners,” it said.
Further, DGCA said a separate, standalone, and customised training by a trained clinical psychologist for the flight crew and ATCOs to recognise and manage the adverse effects of mental health conditions has been recommended.
The scheduled and non-scheduled operators, FTOs, and AAI to introduce a ‘Peer Support Programme’ (PSP) for its employees. This proactive and non-punitive programme will assist and support flight crew and ATCOs in recognising, coping with, and overcoming any problem, which might negatively affect their ability to safely exercise the privileges of their licence.
The Peer Support Programme will include trust between management and crew, education of flight crew/ATCOs regarding self-awareness and facilitation of self-referral, assistance provided by professionals, defining the process of ‘returning to duty’ and management of barriers resulting from fear of loss of licence, referral system to DGCA Medical Directorate and defining the initial and recurrent training of the peers.
