How to become a MCA approved doctor
Find out about MCA's recruitment process for approved doctors (ADs).
Overview
This guidance for doctors takes you through:
- MCA’s general criteria for ADs
- types of AD
- how to apply for appointment as an AD
MCA’s recruitment system has been established in agreement with maritime employers and seafarer’s trade union organisations.
It aims to serve the seafarers working on UK vessels, and holding UK Certificates of Competency (CoCs).
The MCA are currently recruiting.
Medical Referee in Scotland. For more information please see attached PDF.
West coast of Scotland. From Oban to Ayr (and the surrounding islands) - Closes 07/07/202501/09/2025
South Wales from Aberystwyth round to Chepstow - Closes 10/08/2025
Criteria for appointment as an AD
The appointment of Approved Doctors to carry out ENG1 seafarer medical examinations is restricted to areas where a demand for at least 50 examinations in a year has been demonstrated.
The most suitable candidate is appointed based on qualifications, experience and location.
The full recruitment procedure is detailed in ‘chapter 2 - the role of an approved doctor’, in MCA’s approved doctor’s manual.
The categories of ADs
General list doctors are:
- available to all seafarers
- spread over a wide geographical network
- mainly appointed on a replacement basis
Vacancies are advertised locally using the local CCG; MCA keeps a file on those who have expressed an interest in becoming an AD. You’ll then be invited to apply to make sure of fair and open competition.
All the applications are reviewed by MCA’s chief medical adviser.
Company doctors are:
- appointed at the request of companies with vessels on the UK flag, subject to the MCA chief medical adviser’s scrutiny of qualifications and experience
- only able to do medicals on those employed by the shipping company
- usually contractors to major shipping companies, or providing services to a ship management or crewing company
- expected to provide a full occupational medical service for the shipping company
Apply to become an approved doctor
Download the application form to become an approved doctor, then send your completed application to the address on the form.
Speculative applications (meaning those not part of a recruitment process started by MCA) will be notified if a specific vacancy comes up.
The chief medical adviser will review your application, then it’ll be acknowledged by the medical administration team.
Further information
- ‘The Ship Captain’s Medical Guide’
- merchant shipping notice (MSN)1886
- Seafarers: medical certification
Updates to this page
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Added new region looking to recruit (South Wales).
-
Added West coast of Scotland to recruitment campaigns.
Update history
2025-09-09 11:13
Added Southampton to Bognor Regis – closes 29/09/2025
2025-08-27 16:18
Updated with recent recruitment for approved doctors; Orkney Islands – closes 05/09/2025Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Hull – closes 09/09/2025
2025-07-25 14:38
The deadline for applications in Scotland has been extended from 07 July 2025 to 01 September 2025.
2025-07-10 13:04
Added new region looking to recruit (South Wales).
2025-06-18 11:13
Added West coast of Scotland to recruitment campaigns.
2025-06-06 11:43
Added recruitment for a medical referee in Scotland and a link to more information.
2025-04-25 14:51
Removed recruitment campaign.
2025-04-14 11:17
Removed Manchester from the recruitment campaign list.
2025-03-28 13:10
Added North Kent and Medway to recruitment campaign.
2025-03-25 15:46
Added Manchester recruitment campaign.
2025-03-10 11:51
Removed Barrow-in-Furness from recruitment campaign section.
2025-03-05 15:48
Aberdeen recruitment campaign removed.
2025-02-19 09:50
Barrow-in-Furness recruitment campaign added.
2025-02-05 07:54
Added Aberdeen
2024-11-25 15:59
There are no recruitment campaigns currently. Removed all recruitment campaigns.
2024-10-03 09:55
Removed – • Oban and surrounding areas – Closing 30th August 2024• South West Wales – Closing 13th September 2024
2024-08-27 07:40
Orkney – Closing date 23rd August 2024 removed.
2024-08-23 08:34
Addition of South West Wales – Closing 13th September 2024
2024-08-12 11:24
Removed Isle of Man, Leicester and Nottingham from recruitment campaign list.
2024-08-07 09:56
Added Oban and surrounding areas to recruitment campaign list.
2024-08-06 10:00
Added Orkney – Closing date 23rd August 2024 to recruitment list
2024-07-15 11:48
Added recruitment campaigns for Isle of Man and Nottingham/Leicester. Closing dates are 9th August 2024.
2024-07-12 12:04
Shetland and Manchester M60 Corridor no longer recruiting.
2024-06-28 13:12
Removed Exeter to Bude
2024-06-13 09:47
Added:Shetland – Closing 5th July 2024.Manchester (specifically the M60 corridor) – Closing 5th July 2024.
2024-05-21 14:25
Recruitment for Southampton areas have finished and a request has been received to remove from page.
2024-05-20 08:27
MCA now recruiting Exeter to Bude – Closing 21st June 2024.
2024-05-14 09:58
info on Middlesbrough closing date removed
2024-05-07 12:03
Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Surrounding areas – Closing date 6th May 2024 removed
2024-05-03 15:47
The MCA is recruiting to appoint an Independent Medical Referee – please see Referee job description below for full details – this has been added
2024-04-23 15:00
‘Southampton and Surrounding SO Postcode Areas – Closing 20th May 2024’ added to currently recruiting
2024-04-19 08:53
Middlesbrough – Closing 13th May 2024 added
2024-04-15 09:47
Now recruiting for AD’s in: Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Surrounding areas – Closing date 6th May 2024. MCA Medical Referee Appointment added to the bottom of the page including attached job description.
2024-04-10 15:31
MCA is currently recruiting for ADs in Bude to Minehead (No closing date yet).
2024-04-03 07:19
Central London recruitment has now closed as of 29/03/2024
2024-03-25 11:07
Immingham to Skegness closed recruiting.
2024-03-19 09:37
Removed – Minehead to Bude – Closing 15th March 2024.
2024-03-13 10:31
Removed – Dubai and/or Abu Dhabi – Closing 8th March 2024.
2024-03-06 08:05
Fleetwood trawl removed.Central London trawl added – Closing 29 March 2024.
2024-03-01 15:38
Immingham to Skegness currently recruiting for ADs closing date 22nd March 2024.
2024-02-20 09:25
Addition of AD recruiting for Minehead to Bude.
2024-02-16 10:40
Addition of recruiting for Ads in Dubai and/or Abu Dhabi
2024-02-09 16:01
Now currently recruiting for AD’s – Fleetwood and the surround areas – Closing 1st March 2024
2024-02-08 11:59
Removal of Isle of Scilly trawl.
2024-02-05 09:24
Cape Town, South Africa – Closed
2024-01-23 15:38
Isle of Scilly currently recruiting, closing date 7th February 2024
2024-01-02 16:24
South coast of Wales, now closed. Cape Town, South Africa open, closing 02/02/2024
2023-11-27 13:17
Wigtown removed and South Coast of Wales added – Closing 31 Dec 2023
2023-11-09 12:11
North of the River Tyne removed.
2023-10-31 09:23
South Lincolnshire removed
2023-10-23 14:29
Wigtown and South Ayr: Closing Date 10th November 2023 Added.
2023-10-13 09:37
Addition to MCA is currently recruiting for ADs – North of the River Tyne: Closing Date 3rd November 2023.
2023-10-05 10:45
Trinidad listing closed. South Lincolnshire added, closing 27th October 2023
2023-08-25 11:42
Removed, South of County Down, Northern Ireland and Wirral and West Cheshire (north), as these closed on 31st July 2023.
2023-08-23 15:05
Southampton and surround areas added to: MCA is currently recruiting for Ads
2023-07-05 11:25
Updated to advise of recruitment for approved doctors – Wirral and West Cheshire (north) – closing date 31st July 2023.
2023-06-27 12:41
Updated to advise of recruitment for approved doctors in South of County Down, Northern Ireland – closing date 31st July 2023
2023-06-20 11:39
Updated to advise of the recruitment for approved doctors in – South of France, Cannes to Nice (coastal) – closing 16th of July 2023
2023-06-09 16:12
Updated to advise of recruitment for MCA approved doctors in Manchester (specifically M60 corridor) closing date 30/06/2023.
2023-06-02 07:43
Recruiting for ADs now closed, paragraph removed.
2023-04-28 11:54
Updated to advise of recruitment for approved doctors in the North Scotland and Orkney – closing date 26th May 2023.
2023-04-26 14:32
Updated to advise of recruitment for approved doctors in the North Scotland and Orkney area – closing date 26th May 2023.
2023-04-11 10:20
Updated to advise that the MCA are recruiting for approved doctors in the Truro to Par area – closing 12th May 2023.
2023-03-30 13:01
Updated to advise that MCA are recruiting for approved doctors in Isle of Skye – closing 14th April 2023 and Norfolk and Suffolk – closing dates of the 28th April 2023.
2023-03-24 16:45
Updated to advise that the MCA are recruiting for approved doctors in the Isle of Skye – closing 14th April 2023.
2023-02-27 11:29
Updated to advise that the MCA is currently recruiting for ADs in Immingham to Grimsby – closing date 13th March 2023.
2023-01-06 18:07
Updated to advising of approved doctor recruitment in Shetland, closing 31st January 2023.
2022-12-20 19:02
Updated to advise of recruitment for approved doctors in Tyne and Wear closing date 13th January 2023.
2022-12-02 16:24
Updated to advise of recruitment of approved doctors Brixham to Plymouth – closing date 16th December 2022.
2022-11-02 15:02
Updated MCA recruitment of approved doctors – Central London – closing date 24th November 2022.
2022-09-08 16:34
The MCA has updated recruitment details for Glasgow and Southampton areas – closing date 6th October 2022.
2022-08-23 11:43
The MCA is currently recruiting for approved doctors in Wales – closing date 12th September 2022
2022-07-19 09:59
MCA recruiting for approved doctors in South West Wales – closing date 5th August 2022.
2022-05-18 15:12
Updated to advise that the MCA is recruiting for approved doctors in Cornwall – St Austell to Falmouth – closing date 10th June 2022 and Isles of Scilly – closing date 10th June 2022.
2022-04-07 16:11
Updated to notify of recruitment for MCA approved doctors in Aberdeen/ Dundee – closing date 24th April 2022.
2022-03-16 17:41
Updated approved doctors recruitment in Sussex, extended to the 31st March 2022.
2022-02-25 15:30
Added recruitment for Sussex & Middlesbrough and removed the closed recruitment in Jersey.