Aviation regulator DGCA recommends measures to boost mental health of crew

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday issued guidelines for boosting mental health of flight crew and air traffic controllers (ATCOs).

Peer Support Programme and Pre-Employment Psychological Assessment are some of the recommendations proposed by DGCA.

According to media reports, pilots, cabin crew, and ATCOs will have to undergo detailed clinical mental health assessment at an Indian Air Force (IAF) centre whenever a concern arises regarding their mental state that could impact performance and ability to operate safely.

The regulator is of the view that the pressures and stressors at workplace and personal life cannot be addressed through professional skills, procedures or knowledge. 

DGCA in a statement said, flight crew and ATCOs are accustomed to very high workloads and occupational stress situations.

They train regularly in techniques to stay proficient, calm in unexpected scenarios.

However, it added that the pressures at workplace and personal life cannot be addressed via professional skills, procedures or knowledge.

Any failure to cope can have dramatic effects on their mental wellbeing and can negatively impair their professional performance, it added.

These concerns about the mental health of flight crew and ATCOs led to the formation an 'Expert Committee' at DGCA of experienced DGCA officers, air safety, clinical aerospace medicine and mental health experts (psychologists), with an aim to provide best practices and guidance for operators and stakeholders in the field of mental health promotion.

In accordance with the international norms, DGCA requires that its licence holders including crews and ATCOs, should have no established medical history or clinical diagnosis of any mental or behavioural disorder during their initial or renewal medical examination.

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 by the regulator.

Aviation regulator DGCA identified three major domains, where the interventions were recommended including mental health assessment during the medical assessments, Peer Support Programme (PSP), and pre-employment psychological assessment.

It has also recommended that mental health promotion should be embedded within the safety management system of organisations subject to maintenance of confidentiality.

Under Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry Evaluation, it has been said that whenever, there arises concerns regarding the mental state of a flight crew or ATCO that has direct or indirect effect on his or her performance and ability to operate safely (such as after an incident or accident or as assessed by the peer support programme), a detailed clinical mental health assessment needs to be undertaken at one of the Indian Air Force Boarding Centres. Such cases shall be referred by the organisation to DGCA Medical Directorate for permission for a 'Special' medical examination.