66Right to visit a medical practitioner or dentist

66 Right to visit a medical practitioner or dentist

(1) The owner of a regulated Australian vessel must ensure that a seafarer in need of immediate medical care is promptly transported to shore and without delay taken to medical facilities onshore, including:

(a) outpatient treatment for sickness and injury; and

(b) hospitalisation when necessary; and

(c) facilities for essential dental treatment.

Note The Biosecurity Act 2015 has prevention and control measures for disease that may be communicable and cause significant harm to human health. Such measures include the restriction of movement.

(2) The circumstances of immediate medical care include the following:

(a) serious injury or disease;

(b) injury or disease which might lead to temporary or permanent disability;

(c) communicable disease which poses a risk of transmission to other members of the crew;

(d) injury involving broken bones, severe bleeding, broken or inflamed teeth or severe burns;

(e) severe pain which cannot be managed on board ship, taking account of the operational pattern of the vessel, the availability of suitable analgesics and the health impacts of taking these for an extended period;

(f) serious mental health concerns;

(g) tele-medical advisory service recommending treatment ashore.