New guide on fitness and wellness to drive

A guide to help nurses and other health professionals understand when a person is fit and well enough to drive has been produced by the DVLA.

Assessing Fitness to Drive: A Guide for Medical Professionals replaced the At a Glance guide, used for the last 25 years. It has been updated after calls for a clearer and easier to navigate guide and follows changes to European law.

The online guide looks at neurological, cardiovascular and psychiatric disorders as well as visual problems, renal and respiratory disorders, diabetes, drug and alcohol misuse, dementia and disabilities.

It was written following DVLA focus groups with nurses, doctors and optometrists in England, Scotland and Wales.

Although it is the duty of the licence holder, or applicant, to inform the DVLA of any existing medical conditions, or medical conditions that develop or change, the guide advises healthcare professionals on how to make a notification if a patient does not.

DVLA senior medical advisor Wyn Parry told Nursing Standard: ‘There is no legal duty for a doctor or nurse to notify DVLA but healthcare professionals should use the guide to encourage the individual to inform the DVLA.

‘Nurses who are involved in one-to-one care of chronic conditions, such as Parkinson's clinics or diabetes clinics, should be aware that these are the conditions that impact on driving. By engaging with the patient about driving, they can have a major role in road safety.’

Dr Parry added that healthcare professionals can make confidential reports of concerns about certain patients driving to the DVLA’s medical contact line on 0844 453 0118.

They can also contact that line to clarify whether a patient should report their condition to the DVLA without naming the patient.  

To view Assessing Fitness to Drive, click here.