PRIOR TO DEP FROM MAD; FO; A B767-200 ETOPS PIC IS ASKED TO PERFORM CERTAIN PROCS RELATED TO 1 OF 2 MEL OPEN ITEMS; THE CAPT COMPLIES; ONLY TO LATER FIND OUT THAT THE PROC WAS NOT CALLED FOR IN HIS VERSION OF THE MEL. EVIDENTLY THE DISPATCH DEPT HAD AN OLDER; UNREVISED VERSION.

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THIS INCIDENT IS A DISPATCH/MAINT ISSUE. WHILE PREPARING FOR AN ETOPS FLT FROM MADRID; SPAIN; TO PHL; I WAS ADVISED ON MY FLT RELEASE THAT I HAD 2 MELS; ONE OF WHICH REQUIRED A FOLLOW-UP ACTION AND THAT I WAS TO CONTACT DISPATCH. WHEN I CONTACTED DISPATCH I WAS READ A SEQUENCE OF EVENTS THAT I WAS TO CHK AND THEN SIGN OFF IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK. THERE WAS NO MEL BOOK IN OPS. I ASKED TO HAVE THE PROC FAXED TO ME; WHICH IT WAS. WHEN I GOT TO THE ACFT; THE LOGBOOK SHOWED THE ACFT WAS RELEASED AIRWORTHY; BUT THE MEL DID NOT REQUIRE A FOLLOW-UP. I COMPARED WHAT WAS FAXED TO ME; TO WHAT WAS IN THE MEL BOOK ONBOARD THE ACFT AND NOTED THEY WERE THE SAME. I COULD NOT SEE THE NEED TO DO ANY FOLLOW UP; BUT DID AS INSTRUCTED BY DISPATCH. AS IT TURNS OUT; WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE USA; I FOUND OUT THAT THE MEL HAD BEEN REVISED AND THAT IT NO LONGER NEEDED A FOLLOW UP. MAINT KNEW THIS; BUT DISPATCH DID NOT CATCH IT. I WAS FAXED THE WRONG INFO. FORTUNATELY; THE ERROR WAS ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE. WHEN WORKING WITH DEGRADED SYS OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC; THERE SHOULD BE NO DOUBTS AND THE INFO SHOULD BE READILY AVAILABLE. BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE AND TIME CHANGES INVOLVED WITH INTL OPS; CREWS NEED THE CURRENT MELS READILY AVAILABLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH THE PIC REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE PIC CALLED BACK WITH THE FOLLOWING: AFTER THE FLT; THIS PLT SUPVR CALLED MAINT CTL; OPS AND SYS CTL TO CORRECT THE AVAILABILITY DEFICIENCY. THE INCIDENT ITSELF WAS THEN DISCUSSED AND THE FAULT PLACED TO THE DISPATCHER WHO HAD GIVEN THE INCORRECT INFO OR ADVICE TO THE CREW. THE AIRLINE MGMNT POLICY DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR AN INSTANTANEOUS TRANSMITTAL OF EACH REVISION OF THE MEL. WHEN THE DISPATCH DEPT NOTES AN OPEN ITEM UNDER THE MEL THEY ATTACH A NOTICE TO THE DISPATCH RELEASE REQUIRING THE PIC TO CALL DISPATCH FOR ADVISORIES AS TO THE EQUIP AND ACFT STATUS. IN THIS CASE IT HAD TO DO WITH AN APU OP THAT DID NOT REQUIRE A FOLLOW UP ACTION.