CAA SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL

PILOT PEER ASSISTANCE NETWORK (P PAN)

Nick Goodwyn

P PAN Business Lead

May 2019

“AVIATION DOING THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE SOCIETY IS TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING”

A pro-active approach from the CAA, sponsored by Flight Operations, with a unique opportunity

to affect a cultural change for flightcrew and ultimately for all safety critical industry members

COLLABORATIVE

SUPPORTIVE

COLLEGIATE

- Going beyond compliance?

Scope:

Why?

What?

Who?

How?

BACKGROUND - Why

July 2016 – EASA Task Force review and findings that recommended the implementation

of pilot support and reporting systems.

August 2018 - amendments to Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012, the Air

Operations Regulation:

All Commercial Air Transport (CAT) operators to have a Support Programme (SP) in

place by 14 August 2020 – for Flightcrew.

November 2018 – Published acceptable means of compliance (AMC) and guidance

material (GM) under AMC1 CAT.GEN.MPA.215 - Support Programmes.

BACKGROUND – Why

THE PREMISE – PILOTS are reluctant to talk to DOCTORS

THE CHALLENGE – Who will or who do Pilots talk to?

- Their PEERS

What - GM1 CAT.GEN.MPA.215 Support Programme

▪ SUPPORT PROGRAMME

▪ a. A support programme is a proactive programme applying the principles of ‘just

culture’ as defined in Regulation (EU) No 376/2014, whereby the senior management

of the operator, mental health professionals, trained peers, and in many cases

representative organisations of crew members work together to enable self-declaration,

referral, advice, counselling and/or treatment, where necessary, in case of a decrease in

medical fitness.

▪ b. The support programme should be easily accessible for flight crew, and should

provide adequate means of support at the earliest stages.

What

The P PAN is a key element within the SP, providing a facility for pilots to contact a

trained peer on a confidential and independent basis when they require help, advice or

assistance with a developing social, personal or health related issue.

The aim of a P PAN is to provide pilots with an opportunity to discuss and resolve their

wellbeing in a confidential and trusted environment.

What

SUPPORT PROGRAMMES are about awareness and learning

PEER ASSISTANCE is the practical application of that knowledge

REQUIRES ALL TIERS OF AN ORGANISATION TO BE COLLABORATIVE

Peer Assistance is about:

•Early Interventions

•Confidentiality, Independence and Trustworthiness

•Whole Health and Wellbeing and more…………….

•Aviation related….yes….Sim Anxiety but also…………….we are HUMAN

What

PEER ASSISTANCE is not about………

……..that is for the Medical Professionals

What – The CAA Concept and the Opportunity

▪ COLLABORATING with the Pilots, Operators and Providers

▪ SUPPORTING the Operators that can create internal Peer Assistance Networks and

supporting and facilitating those Operators who choose to work together to create a

broader national network of Peer Assistance

▪ A COLLEGIATE Approach by the Industry

What – The CAA Concept and the Opportunity

▪ The national P PAN (s), supported by all stakeholders, must be accessible for all

commercial pilots, employed by an AOC holder and working in CAT.

▪ It must be perceived as independent of the Regulator and Operators.

▪ It must be confidential and trusted.

▪ Phased Governance

▪ A governing board or senior industry group would be responsible for the oversight,

governance and direction of all P PANs. It would provide a central, independent and

governing body promoting a best practise and standardised model.

▪ This could be used as a unique opportunity and template for similar structures to be

created to provide similar oversight for all other safety critical aviation professionals.

DfT Green Paper – Aviation 2050

▪https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment

_data/file/769695/aviation-2050-web.pdf

▪6.9 EASA regulation obliges airlines to put peer support arrangements in place for pilots

and industry is responding accordingly. These programmes aim to give pilots a facility to

contact a trained peer on a confidential basis to discuss a developing social, personal or

health related issue in a trusted environment, thereby addressing issues around stress

and self-management. This aims to provide increased resilience to staff and reduce

human errors.

▪6.12 The government proposes to: mandate peer support programmes across all

safety critical elements of aviation, building on the EASA-regulated pilot schemes

by extending schemes to all safety critical roles including engineers and air traffic

controllers. Some in industry have already established such schemes, and the CAA and

the government will monitor its results closely to understand the value it could add and

share best practice

GOVERNANCE

PATHWAY ORGANISATION (S)

Executive Board:CEOCOOCFO

Office

and

support

staff

Governing Body:Operators

CAA

Advisory Body:BALPA, BHA

MIND Org etc

THIRD PARTY SERVICES PROVISIONVOLUNTEER PEER ASSISTANTS

PILOTS

Board of Trustees

NATIONAL P PAN GOVERNING BODY CONCEPT

Feedback

to Board

SAFE ZONE

SAFE ZONE

Feedback

to Board

WHO – The PEER

▪A peer is a person of the same status, or ability as another specified person and one that

is of equal standing with another. The peer may, or may not, be employed in exactly the

same role.

▪In the context of a support programme, EASA defines a peer as ‘a trained person who

shares common professional qualifications and experience, and has encountered

similar situations, problems or conditions with the person seeking assistance from

a support programme. This may or may not be a person working in the same

organisation as the person seeking assistance from the support programme’.

▪EASA continues that ‘a Peers involvement in a support programme can be beneficial

due to the similar professional backgrounds between the peer and the person seeking

support. However, a mental health professional should support the peer when required,

e.g. in cases where intervention is required to prevent endangering safety.

WHO – The PEER

NOT ALWAYS A PEER PILOT?

SELECTING and TRAINING the VOLUNTEER PEER

PEER SUPERVISION – the essential role of the Health Professional…..the role of the

Aviation ‘Savvy’ Psychologist

The Aviation Risk?

WHO and HOW

-Engagement

WHO and HOW - Engagement

PILOTS

AOC Holders – Fixed Wing, Rotary, Other.

BALPA, other representative bodies

Other Stakeholders and Interested Parties

Other Government/Industry/Societal Bodies

- Expertise in Peer Support/Assistance

WHO and HOW - Engagement

Survey of Commercial Pilots by MIND Org

CAA Facilitated P PAN Events

Identifying potential Providers - RfI

Bringing Operators and Providers together

FOLG Crew Health and Wellbeing Group

Creating a ‘Best Practice Model’ for UK Peer Assistance

- CAP 1695

Peer Assistance for Commercial Air Transport Pilots

- a Survey conducted by MIND

https://wwindex.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9SJwet1ltOOmNFz

SCOPE OF PROVISION OF SERVICES BY CHOSEN PATHWAY

ORGANISATION

▪ Target Group

▪ CAT pilots employed by AOC Holders

▪ 20200

▪ Fixed /Rotary/Others

▪ Peers

▪ Volunteer Peer Assistants Required

▪ 1.5% of target group = 300

▪ Scalable as programme matures. Must equably represent cross section of target group

WHO and HOW – PEER ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS

THE PEERS – Volunteers, pan industry, selected, trained and available

The PROVIDERS

▪Access routes for Pilots who require peer assistance

▪Selection, Training and CPD of Peers

▪Supervision of Peers by health professionals

▪Data Support and Protection

▪Propose Funding Models

The CAA Approach –

COLLABORATIVE

SUPPORTIVE

COLLEGIATE

nick.goodwyn@caa.co.uk

P PAN Business Lead

Thank you

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU

P PAN -

QUESTIONS?