97028 The Ship Captain's Medical Guide

The Ship Captain's Medical Guide
Report No. 97028

I know that the aim of MARS is accident related however, I and other officersin this company feel the MSA has a case to answer on safety grounds. InAugust 1995, the MSA published "M" Notices 1607 and 1608. Thesedocuments are stated as the vehicle by which the MS (Medical Store) Regulations,medicines, medical stores and subsequent changes will be published.

In M1607, section 4 states "MEDICAL GUIDES - The medicines and medicalsupplies specified in the "M" Notice match the prescribed treatmentsdescribed in the new edition (the 22nd) of the Ship Captain's Medical Guidewhich is currently in preparation and will be published shortly". M1608makes a similar statement.

On receipt of these "M" Notices, late in 1995, we arrangedfor a review of the medical stores held on board to bring these in to linewith the revised regulations. We also placed an order through the necessarychannels for the 22nd edition of the SCMG. A reply was received from TheStationary Office in May 1996 indicating that the book was still to be published.Failure to requisition the book has led to 3 monthly reminders to our company,in line with purchasing procedures, indicating the failure to deliver thenew edition.

We have had occasions on board where diagnosis and treatment has beencompromised because the medical scales do not match the contents and advicecontained in the fourteen year old 21st edition of SMCG. Recent advancesby management to MSA have produced a hedged response such that the outlookfor a new edition in the near future seems unlikely.