Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Fit for WorkDisabilityHealth surveillanceSickness absence managementOccupational Health

‘Landmark’ new guidance for pilots with HIV

by Nic Paton 20 Jun 2022
by Nic Paton 20 Jun 2022 The Civil Aviation Authority has updated how UK airline pilots with HIV will be medically assessed.
Image: Shutterstock
The Civil Aviation Authority has updated how UK airline pilots with HIV will be medically assessed.
Image: Shutterstock

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has updated its guidance on how UK airline pilots living with HIV will be medically assessed to allow them to obtain and continue to hold flying licences, in what it has termed “a landmark” package of support measures.

Previously pilots who had disclosed they had HIV were automatically required to undergo cognitive testing to assess their mental abilities, which could be a complex, expensive and time-consuming process.

Now, in an agreement developed with the support of the Terrence Higgins Trust, the National AIDS Trust and the British HIV Association, the CAA has confirmed that, with a timely diagnosis of HIV and antiretroviral therapy, there is a much lower risk of a pilot suffering conditions that could impair their ability safely to fly aircraft.

This means there is a now a much clearer way for pilots living with HIV to obtain unrestricted (Class 1) medical certification in the UK. For some pilots living with HIV, it will also reduce the need for additional cognitive testing, the CAA said.

The guidance also covers Class 3 medical certificate applicants who work, or wish to work, as air traffic control officers.

The regulator has also announced a six-month amnesty period during which any pilot or air traffic control officer who has in the past not declared their HIV positive status when applying for an aeromedical certificate can come forward “in total confidence” to the CAA to correct their record, without having to notify their employer.

HIV and work

Government reviews limits on healthcare workers with HIV

UK employees expect to be told about HIV colleagues

“Anyone doing this within the six-month period will face no enforcement action for not previously declaring their positive HIV status and the regulator’s medical team will work through a review of their health status with them, following the new guidance, to ensure their medical information is accurate and up to date,” the CAA said.

Richard Moriarty, CAA chief executive, said: “Recent medical advances mean that if someone with HIV effectively manages their condition, they should be able to live a near-normal life.

“Our new guidance recognises this. I want to appeal personally to anyone who has previously not declared their HIV status to contact us within the next six months so we can reset this with you in total confidence.”

To obtain and maintain their UK licences all commercial pilots must have an aeromedical certificate and, as part of the application process, their medical declarations confirm their HIV status.

Following diagnosis of HIV infection, a pilot’s medical certificate is temporarily suspended while they establish treatment and an aeromedical assessment takes place.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The new guidance sets out what steps and testing a pilot will need to undertake to enable them to return to the skies. This will include confirming that the condition is well controlled with regular follow up and monitoring in place.

The full guidance can be found at: Infectious diseases guidance material (GM).

Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consultant editor at Personnel Today. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for Personnel Today and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
Has OH been overlooked (again) in fit note changes?
next post
Why hiring Ukrainian refugees sets a precedent for a fairer future

You may also like

Uncertainty over law hampering legal use of medical...

20 May 2025

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

Healthcare workers prioritise mental health support in new...

12 May 2025

Tool developed for employers to calculate cost of...

28 Apr 2025

Why employers must do more to support all...

24 Apr 2025

NHS urging people to check for cancer warning...

22 Apr 2025

Call for better mental health support for NHS...

17 Apr 2025

NHS to expand GP scheme enabling greater access...

16 Apr 2025

Computer says no: IT woes giving employees sleepless...

15 Apr 2025

Nearly half did not take even one full...

14 Apr 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today