PEME

The Club's Pre-Employment Medical Examination Programme

Why the programme is effective:
The PEME Programme has proven to be the leading loss prevention initiative within the UK Club. It is evident from the statistical findings that it has provided a system for proper accountability by the clinic on the quality of the pre-employment medical examinations. It has also led to consistency in a high examination standard to protect a shipowner from claims arising from medical defects that should have been detected during the examination.

Participating shipowners are provided with a proven system for managing this aspect of crew risks and thus they benefit by having a fitter and healthier crew. This programme is the most extensive and inclusive system in the industry.

According to Phil Nichols, Regional Director, UK P&I Club - "An unfit crewman will have, or is likely to cause a major incident due to illness; so it's not just medical costs and sick wages that are at stake. Consider a few avoidable interruptions: delay in journey, disruption aboard vessel and unhappy customers or passengers."

Programme Objectives:

• Screen out medical conditions during pre-employment exam
• Reduce the value and volume of illness and repatriation claims
• Continue delivering a proven value added service to Members
• Expand clinic network in response to Member needs
• Ensure the needs of Programme Members continue to be met

See also

	Lloyd's List on PEME, August 2006*
	Lloyd's List on PEME, August 2006 (2)*
	Lloyd's List, January 2006*	*This article is copyright T&F Informa and is reproduced with permission. Reproduction, retrieval, copying or transmission of this article is not permitted without the publisher's prior consent. T&F Informa does not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this article nor does it accept responsibility for errors or omissions or their consequences.
	Lloyd's List, November 2004
	Lloyd's List, August 2004*
	Naftiliaki Winter 2004 Article
	View the entire PEME Brochure

For further information please contact Sophia Grant (tel: +44 20 7204 2417 fax: +44 207204 2410 e-mail: peme.ukclub@thomasmiller.com) or your usual Club contact.

PEME Questions & Answers

	Click on a question below:
	In which countries/areas does the PEME Programme operate? Australia, Croatia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Philippines, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, and United States How much does the average PEME examination cost? There are variations between countries however the following can be taken as a guide: US$ 77 in the Philippines US$ 58 in India US$ 78 in Hungary What tests are included as part of the standard examination? The PEME Examination consists of:- Personal details. Full medical history, following a questionnaire completed by the seafarer and discussed with the examiner. Full physical examination (to include an examination by a dentist where possible). - Height/Weight/BMI/Pulse/BP - Blood testing - including Hepatitis B, Full Blood Count, VDRL/RPR - Audiometry - required in deck/engine crew, and those who have an equivocal whisper test. - Vision test (including colour vision testing) - Lung Function - Urinalysis Chest X-Ray * Electrocardiogram * Any further tests requested by the employing company and pre-agreed with the UK Club Any vaccines required should be given, reference being made to current WHO guidelines, as well as appropriate lifestyle advice n.b. Food handlers screen only for staff involved in the preparation or service of food. HIV test and urine drug and alcohol screen only where required by the hiring company, and not in breach of local employment legislation. * test to be conducted where clinically appropriate. What other optional tests are available? Drug and Alcohol screening. Food handlers' screening. HIV testing (no HIV test may be conducted in the USA or where otherwise prohibited by applicable law).. Ultrasound (kidneys, bladder etc). Psychological Screening. Any other test requirements should be discussed with the UK P&I Club PEME Team. What are the savings of the UK P&I Club PEME Programme? Whilst it is difficult to be specific about the monetary benefits derived from the programme, the Club managers have no doubt they are considerable. Between 1999 and 2006 the average cost of crew illness claims was US$7,000 per claim. Based on the average cost our statistics prove that during 2005 and 2006 policy year the PEME programme saved UK P&I Club Members over US$5.2 million. What are the benefits of the Programme? The Programme not only provides extensive money saving opportunities but reduces the volume and frequency of crew illness claims. These claims may be above or below the member's deductibles. Other benefits include: More clinics/more countries – than any other club More effective testing – other clubs - 2 pages, UK club - 5 pages 10 successful years of experience – over 86,000 examinations completed 35 clinics in 13 different countries and an extensive network of US clinics UK P&I Club PEME Team handle all administrative duties including accreditation of new clinics, audit of existing facilities, review performance of clinics etc Independent medical audits of participating clinics Reduces risk to other crewmembers and passengers onboard a vessel Efficient and Top-quality medical exams (physical and mental) Screening crew beforehand assures best/healthiest crewmen onboard Clinics are fully accountable to the Club and must uphold high standards. Most extensive and sophisticated Programme in the industry (medically related scheme) Medical Examination online authentication process Reduction in claims above and below the deductible. What is the aim of the UK P&I Club PEME Programme? The UK Club Pre-employment Medical Examination (PEME) programme exists in order to ensure that seafarers employed by members of the UK Club are fully medically fit to carry out their full tour of duty. The medical examination may be done in tandem with an examination approved by the local maritime authority which may be required by the employer. The PEME programme does not presume to lay down new standards but ensures that existing standards are properly and thoroughly applied. Quality of the medical examination is assured by regular audits of participating clinics. How frequently should the PEME be performed? The medical examination should be performed no more than two months prior to the anticipated date of joining a ship. Each certificate should be considered valid for a period of one year. What are the areas for expansion under consideration this year? Romania Gdynia - Poland What experience do we look for in a UK P&I Club PEME Programme doctor? Doctors approved by the UK Club to carry out a PEME must have experience in occupational health and also in the particular problems experienced by seafarers. They should be approved examiners for their own country’s maritime administration, where such a system exists. They must therefore be fully aware of the standards and guidelines regarding fitness for sea service laid down by the ILO and in their own country, and must conform with these. Responsibility for the decision as to whether the seafarer is fit or not rests with the examining doctor unless they feel that they should refer the case for a more expert opinion. How frequently are the clinics audited? The clinics are audited every two to four years. There is a clinic audit rota in operation. Clinics in countries such as the Philippines, where there is a high volume of examinations being performed, may be audited every two years by either a joint Club and independent medical auditor or by Club auditor alone. The existing clinic audit lasts between 3-4 hours at each facility. What is the clinic audit rota? Year 1 (2006) Philippines UK (London, Dublin & Leeds) Hungary Ukraine India Year 2 (2007) Croatia US South Africa Year 3 (2008) Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia Year 4 (2009) UK Ireland Hungary Ukraine * India How many PEME examinations are conducted on average each year? 15,000 PEME examinations are performed annually by the accredited clinics. What are the top 10 reasons for unfitness?