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Guidance

How to become a MCA approved doctor

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency recruitment process for approved doctors.

Updates to this page

From:
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Published:
6 May 2014
Last updated:
1 October 2026
Show all updates

  1. Added a recruitment opportunity for an approved doctor in Genoa, Italy and in the area from Perth to Stonehaven, Scotland.

  2. Added recruitment campaign for Barcelona, Spain. Corrected the link to the approved doctor's manual under 'Criteria for appointment as an AD'.

  3. Removed the Fleetwood trawl.

  4. Added Fleetwood to recruitment campaigns. Removed Mallorca from recruitment campaigns.

  5. Added Mallorca as recruitment campaign.

  6. Removed Dorset campaign.

  7. Removed the Cornwall recruitment campaign and added Dorset.

  8. Added recruitment campaign for Cornwall.

  9. Removed the Bristol trawl Updated attachment for referee trawl

  10. Removed the London trawl.

  11. Added Bristol recruitment campaign.

  12. Updated to advise of recruitment within the (M25 corridor) of London - closing 7th November 2025

  13. Removed all AD recruitment campaigns.

  14. Added Southampton to Bognor Regis – closes 29/09/2025

  15. Updated with recent recruitment for approved doctors; Orkney Islands – closes 05/09/2025 Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Hull – closes 09/09/2025

  16. The deadline for applications in Scotland has been extended from 07 July 2025 to 01 September 2025.

  17. Added new region looking to recruit (South Wales).

  18. Added West coast of Scotland to recruitment campaigns.

  19. Added recruitment for a medical referee in Scotland and a link to more information.

  20. Removed recruitment campaign.

  21. Removed Manchester from the recruitment campaign list.

  22. Added North Kent and Medway to recruitment campaign.

  23. Added Manchester recruitment campaign.

  24. Removed Barrow-in-Furness from recruitment campaign section.

  25. Aberdeen recruitment campaign removed.

  26. Barrow-in-Furness recruitment campaign added.

  27. Added Aberdeen

  28. There are no recruitment campaigns currently. Removed all recruitment campaigns.

  29. Removed - • Oban and surrounding areas – Closing 30th August 2024 • South West Wales – Closing 13th September 2024

  30. Orkney - Closing date 23rd August 2024 removed.

  31. Addition of South West Wales – Closing 13th September 2024

  32. Removed Isle of Man, Leicester and Nottingham from recruitment campaign list.

  33. Added Oban and surrounding areas to recruitment campaign list.

  34. Added Orkney - Closing date 23rd August 2024 to recruitment list

  35. Added recruitment campaigns for Isle of Man and Nottingham/Leicester. Closing dates are 9th August 2024.

  36. Shetland and Manchester M60 Corridor no longer recruiting.

  37. Removed Exeter to Bude

  38. Added: - Shetland – Closing 5th July 2024. - Manchester (specifically the M60 corridor) – Closing 5th July 2024.

  39. Recruitment for Southampton areas have finished and a request has been received to remove from page.

  40. MCA now recruiting Exeter to Bude – Closing 21st June 2024.

  41. info on Middlesbrough closing date removed

  42. Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Surrounding areas – Closing date 6th May 2024 removed

  43. The MCA is recruiting to appoint an Independent Medical Referee - please see Referee job description below for full details - this has been added

  44. 'Southampton and Surrounding SO Postcode Areas – Closing 20th May 2024' added to currently recruiting

  45. Middlesbrough – Closing 13th May 2024 added

  46. 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.

  47. MCA is currently recruiting for ADs in Bude to Minehead (No closing date yet).

  48. Central London recruitment has now closed as of 29/03/2024

  49. Immingham to Skegness closed recruiting.

  50. Removed - Minehead to Bude – Closing 15th March 2024.

  51. Removed - Dubai and/or Abu Dhabi – Closing 8th March 2024.

  52. Fleetwood trawl removed. Central London trawl added - Closing 29 March 2024.

  53. Immingham to Skegness currently recruiting for ADs closing date 22nd March 2024.

  54. Addition of AD recruiting for Minehead to Bude.

  55. Addition of recruiting for Ads in Dubai and/or Abu Dhabi

  56. Now currently recruiting for AD's - Fleetwood and the surround areas – Closing 1st March 2024

  57. Removal of Isle of Scilly trawl.

  58. Cape Town, South Africa - Closed

  59. Isle of Scilly currently recruiting, closing date 7th February 2024

  60. South coast of Wales, now closed. Cape Town, South Africa open, closing 02/02/2024

  61. Wigtown removed and South Coast of Wales added - Closing 31 Dec 2023

  62. North of the River Tyne removed.

  63. South Lincolnshire removed

  64. Wigtown and South Ayr: Closing Date 10th November 2023 Added.

  65. Addition to MCA is currently recruiting for ADs - North of the River Tyne: Closing Date 3rd November 2023.

  66. Trinidad listing closed. South Lincolnshire added, closing 27th October 2023

  67. Removed Southampton as not currently recruiting.

  68. Added Trinidad in body Text as an area for recruitment.

  69. Removed, South of County Down, Northern Ireland and Wirral and West Cheshire (north), as these closed on 31st July 2023.

  70. Southampton and surround areas added to: MCA is currently recruiting for Ads

  71. Updated to advise of recruitment for approved doctors - Wirral and West Cheshire (north) – closing date 31st July 2023.

  72. Updated to advise of recruitment for approved doctors in South of County Down, Northern Ireland - closing date 31st July 2023

  73. Updated to advise of the recruitment for approved doctors in - South of France, Cannes to Nice (coastal) - closing 16th of  July 2023

  74. Updated to advise of recruitment for MCA approved doctors in Manchester (specifically M60 corridor) closing date 30/06/2023.

  75. Recruiting for ADs now closed, paragraph removed.

  76. Updated to advise of recruitment for approved doctors in the North Scotland and Orkney - closing date 26th May 2023.

  77. Updated to advise of recruitment for approved doctors in the North Scotland and Orkney area - closing date 26th May 2023.

  78. Updated to advise that the MCA are recruiting for approved doctors in the Truro to Par area - closing 12th May 2023.

  79. 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.

  80. Updated to advise that the MCA are recruiting for approved doctors in the Isle of Skye - closing 14th April 2023.

  81. Updated to advise that the MCA is currently recruiting for ADs in Immingham to Grimsby - closing date 13th March 2023.

  82. Updated to advising of approved doctor recruitment in Shetland, closing 31st January 2023.

  83. Updated to advise of recruitment for approved doctors in Tyne and Wear closing date 13th January 2023.

  84. Updated to advise of recruitment of approved doctors Brixham to Plymouth – closing date 16th December 2022.

  85. Updated MCA recruitment of approved doctors - Central London – closing date 24th November 2022.

  86. The MCA has updated recruitment details for Glasgow and Southampton areas - closing date 6th October 2022.

  87. The MCA is currently recruiting for approved doctors in Wales - closing date 12th September 2022

  88. MCA recruiting for approved doctors in South West Wales - closing date 5th August 2022.

  89. 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.

  90. Updated to notify of recruitment for MCA approved doctors in Aberdeen/ Dundee - closing date 24th April 2022.

  91. Updated approved doctors recruitment in Sussex, extended to the 31st March 2022.

  92. Added recruitment for Sussex & Middlesbrough and removed the closed recruitment in Jersey.

  93. Updated to advise that the MCA is currently recruiting for ADs in Jersey - closing date 21st February 2022.

  94. Updated to advise of recruitment of approved doctors, in Swansea - closing date 9th September 2021.

  95. Shetland AD recruitment now closing 31st August 2021.

  96. Update to notify of recruitment for approved doctors in Shetland - closing 8th August 2021.

  97. To advise of recruitment for approved doctors in Ayr - closing 4th June 2021

  98. Removed recruitment notice for Edinburgh

  99. Update MCA is currently recruiting for approved doctors - Edinburgh - closing date 28th February 2021.

  100. Updated to advise of recruitment for approved doctors in Bristol - closing date 16 November.

  101. Updated to advise of recruitment taking place in Middlesbrough – closing date 22nd October 2020.

  102. Updated to advise of recruitment in Liverpool – closing date 2nd October 2020.

  103. Updated to advise of recruitment for approved doctors in South west Wales – closing date 30th September 2020.

  104. Updated to advise of approved doctor recruitment in London (near mainline railway stations) – closing date 30th September 2020.

  105. Update the MCA is not currently recruiting for approved doctors.

  106. Updated to advise of recruitment taking place in Lowestoft – closing date 24 July 2020.

  107. Updated MCA recruitment for approved doctors - Oban - closing date 7 July 2020.

  108. Updated to advise that recruiting for approved doctors in the Leeds area, closing 12th February 2020.

  109. Updated to advise of recruitment at Lowestoft and surrounding areas – closing date 4th October 2019.

  110. Amended closing dates for recruitment in selected areas

  111. Updated to advise of recruitment in Newlyn and Penzance – closing date 30th August 2019.

  112. Updated to advise of recruitment for Approved Doctors in Benbecula – closing date 26th July 2019.

  113. Updated recruitment for Approved Doctors in Birmingham – closing date 26th July 2019.

  114. Updated to advise of recruitment in Holyhead and Anglesey - closing date 26th July 2019.

  115. Updated recruitment for approved doctors in Exeter – closing date 19th July 2019.

  116. Updated recruitment 21st May 2019.

  117. Updated to advise of recruitment in the Aberdeen area – closing 31st March 2019.

  118. Updated to advise that MCA will be recruiting ADs in Antigua - closing 31st Jan 2019.

  119. Added Manchester Recruitment Campaign

  120. Updated page to advise MCA is recruiting ADs in Birmingham till 7th September 2018.

  121. Updated recruitment taking place in, Birmingham and Caithness till the 13th August.

  122. Updated recruitment for Blackpool and surrounding area – closing date 21 May 2018

  123. Updated recruitment, Cornwall – closing date 21 May 2018

  124. Updated approved doctors recruitment, Southampton – closing date 23 April 2018

  125. Updated to notify of recruitment taking place in Edinburgh – closing date 8 April 2018

  126. Updated AD recruitment section

  127. Updated recruitment; South Coast Devon – closing date 8 December 2017

  128. Recruitment update; Anglesey, Bangor and Holyhead area – closing date 27 October 2017

  129. Updated recruitment: Whitby - closing date 6 October 2017

  130. Updated Recruiting in Middlesbrough area – closing date 15th September 2017

  131. Updated - recruiting in Liverpool, Wirral and Chester area – closing date 6 September 2017

  132. Recruiting update; Portsmouth/Southsea area - closing date 21 July 2017

  133. Recruitment update; Horley Gatwick area - Closing Date 10 July 2017

  134. Updated recruitment; Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Banff and surrounding areas – closing date 21June 2017

  135. Updated recruiting in Aberdeen area - closing date 2 June 2017

  136. Updated recruiting Northern Ireland, Kilkeel and surrounding areas – Closing date 2 June 2017

  137. Updated recruiting Southampton and Surrounding Areas – Closing date 2 June 2017

  138. MCA is recruiting for ADs in St Austell Area - Closing Date 20 January 2017. Immingham vacancy is now closed.

  139. Update recruiting - Immingham Area - Closing Date 15 December 2016

  140. Updated - Bristol area recruitment closed

  141. Doctors vacancy removed

  142. New Approved Doctor vacancy - Bristol area

  143. Added Dartmouth area to current vacancies

  144. Update - recruitment closed in London area.

  145. Update - recruitment closed in Manchester area.

  146. Updated - Southampton area recruitment closed.

  147. Oban and Lancaster/Morecambe trawls removed

  148. Closing date for London updated

  149. New Approved Doctor recruitment area added, Manchester

  150. Update to recruitment areas:; Southampton Area

  151. Closing date for Oban updated

  152. Update to recruitment areas; Lancaster/ Morecambe Area - Closing Date 27 May 2016

  153. New date for recruitment in Orkney

  154. Added details of the vacancy in the Lowestoft area.

  155. Update MCA now recruiting in Glasgow Area - Closing Date 4 March 2016

  156. Updated; No recruitment campaigns at this time.

  157. Updated recruitment; Portsmouth/Southsea Area - Closing Date 27th October 2015

  158. Updated Recruitment: Mallorca to close 8th Nov 2015

  159. Update: Recruitment in Liverpool Area - Closing Date 26th October 2015

  160. No current recruitment campaigns

  161. Holly Head campaign closed 21 August 2015

  162. Trawls at Edinburgh & Grangemouth; and Ipswich now closed.

  163. Update recruitment; London - Closing Date 12 September 2015

  164. Update recruitment of approved doctors; Holyhead - Closing Date 21 August 20152015

  165. Update recruitment; Aberdeen - Closing Date 12 September 2015

  166. Updated MCA approved doctors recruitment - Ipswich - Closing Date 10 August 2015

  167. Updated to include recruitment in Edinburgh and Grangemouth Area

  168. Updated MSN 1822 replaced by MSN 1839

  169. MCA is not currently recruiting approved doctors.

  170. Update Plymouth - Closing Date 15th April 2015 with additional information; Letter to Plymouth Practicitioners 20.03.2015

  171. Updated recruitment; Isle of Wight - Closing Date 31 March 2015

  172. Updated MCA recruitment areas; Liverpool - Closing Date 31 March 2015

  173. Updated Recruiting: Pembrokeshire - Closing Date 6 March 2015

  174. Updated: Currently recruiting approved doctors in Great Yarmouth - Closing Date 6 March 2015

  175. Colchester vacancy date extended 16 12 14

  176. Recruitment campaign for Shetland added 10th December 2014. Two closed campaigns removed.

  177. AD vacancies updated 25 11 14

  178. AD vacancies updated (24 11 14)

  179. AD vacancies updated 12 11 14

  180. AD vacancies updated (16 10 14)

  181. AD vacancies updated (22 09 14)

  182. Update to vacancies (17 09 14)

  183. Updated with AD vacancy details (30/07/14)

  184. Deatils of new AD vacancies added

  185. MCA AD vacancies updated 26 06 14

  186. First published.

Overview

This guidance for doctors takes you through:

  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) general criteria for approved doctors (AD)
  • types of AD
  • how to apply for appointment as an AD

The 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).

Current recruitment opportunities

  • Approved doctor in Barcelona, Spain - closing date 02/10/2026
  • Approved doctor in the area from Perth to Stonehaven (inclusive), Scotland - closing date 23/10/2026
  • Approved doctor in Genoa, Italy - closing date 30/10/2026
  • Medical Referee in Scotland: For more information please see attached PDF, Referee job description open - Nov 25 (PDF, 139 KB, 2 pages) - Ongoing

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 - procedures for appointment of approved doctors’, in the 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 clinical commissioning group (CCG). The 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 the 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 approved doctor application form, then send your completed application to the address on the form.

Speculative applications (meaning those not part of a recruitment process started by the 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

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