Reviewing a medical certificate decision

When you submit an Application for Review of a Medical Certification Decision, we require you to provide us with personal information, including in relation to your medical history. We use this information to administer your review.  

We keep the information you provide on a secure system. Access to the system where we keep this information is strictly limited to Ministry of Transport employees who require access in order to progress your review, as well as the Civil Aviation Authority (who provides copies of information relating to your medical certification decision) and the Medical Convenor (who reviews this information).

If you specifically authorise us to, we may also provide information to other people who are relevant to your review (for example, health professionals), or ask them for information. More information about this is available on the application form.

You are not required to provide us with your personal information, but if you do not provide sufficient information we will be unable to progress your review application.

This privacy information is in addition to that outlined in the Ministry of Transport’s Privacy and transparency statement(external link)

If you have any enquiries about how we treat your personal information during this process, please email us at medicalconvener@transport.govt.nz

Apply to have your medical decision reviewed. When you apply, you must

• include any information that supports your application, which may include:
  • reasons why you want a review
  • expert opinions and information demonstrating comparable situations
  • details about the nature of the operations you intend to engage in
  • anything else you consider necessary to support your application
• supply any supporting information the Convener requests by the deadline given
• inform the Convener of any change in your state of health that might impact your eligibility for a medical certificate
• meet the cost of any additional reports, tests or examinations the Convener may need during the review
• inform the Convener as soon as possible if you no longer need the review required or if a new certificate has been issued
• tell the Convener if your contact details change.

If you cannot supply information when it is required, this may result in the review being delayed until other reviews have been completed.

We receive your application and let you know it has arrived.

The Convener asks the Director:

• to provide all medical information the Civil Aviation Authority holds on the application
• for a submission on the reasons for their decision.

The Director must provide this information within a given timeframe.

You receive a copy of the medical file and submission. You may:

• comment on the submission, and
• provide additional supporting information to the Convener.

If you comment or provide additional information, this is sent to the Director for consideration and response. You will receive a copy of the response.

If you do not comment or provide additional information, the Convener will continue the review with the information they have.

The Convener reviews all information and may contact either you or the Director to seek clarification. The Convener only considers information they understand is relevant to the medical matters being reviewed.

The Convener must review the decision, or assess an application, as soon as practicable.

When considering the case, they:

• must call on the advice and expertise of at least 1 other person who is suitably qualified and experienced
• may decide additional medical reports, tests or examinations are required — these may be to ensure the case has merit or to clarify details
• must receive and consider the relevant evidence and any additional material
• must consider the purpose and scheme of the Civil Aviation Act 1990, and the Director’s duties — this means they must take into account everything the Director must consider when exercising their decision-making power
• may not review a decision, or assess an application, if they have a conflict of interest.

You and the Director may participate in the process by providing relevant evidence in regards to any medical matter in the decision or application the Convener is reviewing.

When the Convener has finished the review, they report the results and the decision to the Director, who must:

• implement the results of the review within 10 working days or notify you in writing of their reasons for not doing so
• send you their decision, along with a copy of the Convener’s report
• notify the Convener of their decision.

The Director does not have to accept the Convener's decision. If the Director does not accept the Convener's decision they must give reasons for this.