Safe Speed Forums

DVLA to enforce drivers to have health checks.
Quote [quote="DVLAwebsite]"DVLA to enforce drivers to have health checks
Drivers to have 10-year health checks under driver licence reforms
Motorists will face a range of new health checks to determine whether they are fit to drive under the most comprehensive reform of the driving licence system in decades.
By 2021, there will be an estimated 3 million over-70s driving on the country's roads
Drivers will have to declare every 10 years whether they are medically able to get behind the wheel, according to proposals to be set out early in the new year.
For the first time, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will issue a series of minimum physical and mental requirements motorists must fulfill including eyesight performance and reaction times.
Tests, costing up to £80, will be offered to drivers to check whether they are fit to drive."[/quote]

This cost alone might then make more elderly people drive without proper MOT, insurance, and tax, although I understand that a healthy driver must be 'fit for purpose' and I am quite certain that there are many elderly people that should be checked.
Is this an 'attack' on drivers and hey see a whole group that can be removed en mass? And so help their figures and reach their EU targets ? ('x' so many off the roads by 2010?)

Thought : I wonder if a reduction in the license would help e.g 'daylight / automatic' and then an 'elderly driver sticker?' or a 'restricted licence' or even just a 'slow' sticker. Not terribly keen, but it may help other drivers become less frustrated if they are more aware that others recognise that this person is perhaps driving on a 'restricted licence'. - WHEN their driving us under-par but not dangerous? i.e. slow but safe and capable at the slower speed, why shouldn't they be able to retain their independence.
I absolutely agree that a very slow driver can be a great danger to the roads, but, might it not (possibly) be better to be aware of their inability and indicate this to others, and have them still drive legally on the road, than start to condemn elderly people, off the road, 'just' because they are slow ? We cope with tractors - agree many tractors are faster now-a-days too ...
Mind the way things are going - they won't appear slow ! We will all be forced into pedestrian pace.

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So that's 3 Million times £80.00, not bad then.

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

That is exactly what it is all about.
If it was really about ensuring that somebody's eyesight/reaction times/etc were up to spec, then a simple visit to the GP (which costs nothing) could confirm that.

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?

The authorities are unwilling to accept the decision of the GP. He is not independant as he is effectively working for the person being checked

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When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

So there will be another quango set up for this then?

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

Sigh!

If only all people whose wages are paid from the public purse realised that they were working for us.

Are the Government saying "We don't trust the word of a trained professional responsible for life and death issues"?

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

Indeed.


But I have been advised not to drive on medical grounds for another couple of weeks after a week "in dry dock being serviced"

I think I would have been happier if I had made the decision myself rather than be told by fellow medic .. in blunt language.

Of course - it's a precaution . given I feel a bit weak still. I abide by the advice but I admit it ist really tough when you just want to carry on with your life und get into normal rhythm of life .. doing the shoppo .. the school run with the foster kids,.., checking the babies.. fiddling around on the internet .. doing some of my research work as my brain does not stop working just because I gave birth 7 week ago ...

But what about the older folk? Papa ist 78 und Mama 75 year now.. They have to have medical check up every 5 year once they reached 70 years back home. They not see it as a problem.

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I don't see it would be a problem in the UK. Out of interest do your parents have to pay for a check-up? I’d have no problem with having a check-up, but not at £80.00 a time. A lot of old folk in the UK can just about afford to live, let alone pay £80. And as said above what’s wrong with going to a normal GP for the check-up, and having it done for free.

From what I can see of this scheme, it is once again a revenue collecting exercise and at the same time making it more difficult for older people.

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

Your GP is only working for YOU under the terms of the health service contract.
Outside that contract any services are NOT nhs but can be performed as a PRIVATE consultation.
If your GP considers you unfit to drive, with the available information, then he is required to inform the authorities by law.
He/she is not required to perform a medical upon you.
It is the same for commercial licence health checks.
Your GP may well be able to perform the driving health check medical if part of a team, in which case another team doctor/nurse will do the necessary BUT it is likely that the tests will have to be done at a private clinic/health center.
There exist a whole load of legal requirements for health checks, even lift truck drivers are SUPPOSED to have them. They all have to be paid for.
There are already a load of occupational health clinics that offer the services.
The cost is also likely to be higher than £80.00, more like £120 +
Your licence date will (eventually) reflect the time-to-next-test (as at the moment it reflects the time-to-next-age-renewal)
The counterpart licence is likely to go in the next few years, to be replaced by a card similar to the photo-licence, or it may be that the counterpart will be removed and electronic means of accessing the information it carries will be introduced. No decision seems to have been reached yet.

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The world runs on oil, period. No other substance can compete when it comes to energy density, flexibility, ease of handling, ease of transportation. If oil didn’t exist we would have to invent it.”

56 years after it was decided it was needed, the Bedford Bypass is nearing completion. The last single carriageway length of it.We have the most photogenic mayor though, always being photographed doing nothing

Surely the "servicing" took place some nine months ago.

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When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

Hi .. Ted's best qualfied here perhaps. Medics can only inform DVLA over head of patient if the patient blatantly ignores the advice and the condition is so bad that no other option exists .. in the real world out there.

We do no know unless record has been updated anyway. It can be tricky if all other criteria on ANPR hit suggests "legal"

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Back home.. nothing ist cheap... but they pay medical health assurances .. so the fee charged to this.


In Germany .. you pay up front.. get a chit und claim their version of NHS refund.

Nothing wrong with seeing GP .. but they not obliged to say to DVLA. Ted know better than I do as most of his patients are too poorly to drive or do much else


I am in odd situation as I was advised not to drive initially because of the C section . und the blood loss I suffer too. (It was why I need the medical attention und why Ted began to worry a lot .. hence his "green light thread" which rather exposed some as not knowing very much .. as green light = doctor on call but not a blue light emergency,. It more like the amber lights on the AA vehicle Ted could only speed on "greens" if under blue light escort or if he can prove "appointment with death" would result.

As I still kept fainting .. und so on.. I end up back in hospital. I now advised not to drive for another 4 week. Ja.. I make combined 9K posts on PH und on here telling folk not to drive if unfit .. over past 5 years (averaged 4 post per day ) To whinge about it would make me biggest hypocrite.. but I am honest with self und admit that it hurt like hell alll the same. Even though I know that if I chill out... keep calm.. look after the new babies.. enjoy "coo-coo-cooin" at them .... being dutiful Hausfrau (errrr .. ja.. ummmm. ho-hum und dingsbumstits und diddums to me ) - it soon pass.


I am trying to say .. I can understand WHY we need to check health here. Healthy driver ist a right good driver.

HOWEVER . I will concede that today's old folk are quite a lot younger in mind/body/spirits. Or more are so blessed due to improvements in our health.


I heard trailer for a Johnny Walker slot plan for Tuesday R2 on topic of life/death expectations. Knowing Johnny Walker who come across as great bloke with fine driving /biking skills .. healthy dislike of speed cams /. great idea of growing old disgracefully .. superb tastes in music .. the prog look like it should be a right good listen. He look at old age.. death . why our generation fear death when medieval ancestors welcomed as release. Ja .. we have more reverance .. respect for life perhaps in our age .. but less for freedom of living that life to the hilt perhaps?


I ask the awkward questions as usual



I think folk will be able to get the health check on existing NHS.

Dcb .. Ted's "servicing" of me took place in July when we were on holiday in France. :

If you know what I mean ..

Unfortunately ... I had hard pregnancy.. labourings und aftermath. I end up in "driy dock" being "stripped down" und all engines put under diagnostic testing . und then .. they prescribe a course of treatment which appear to be injecting "rocket fuel" into me " Right wrong'un rebel of a wild Vrenchen" .. will regrow the clipped claws But hey dcb . I only against the scamerati? Und want fair play for all .. und more cops on road as I like police men (apart from the numpty ones who are to their profession what Shipman/Allit are to ours .. as in with forceful revulsion.)

Pah .. I go all long winded on you again ..

_________________
Nicht ganz im Lot!
Ich setze mich immer wieder in die Nesseln! Der Mad Doc ist mein Mann! Und ich benutzte seinen PC!

UND OUR SMILEYS? Smile ... und the the world smiles with you.
Smiley guy seen when you read
Fine me for Safe Speed
(& other good causes..)

Greatest love & Greatest Achievements Require Greatest Risk
But if you lose the driving plan - don't lose the COAST lesson.
Me?
Je ne regrette rien!

I regularly advise patients not to drive. The onus is on them to inform. If they willl not .. then I will apply my right to do so.


For record . I have to write a full report to justify my opinion and have this verified by a colleague of equal expertise.






Under current legislation. This thread's about the proposals my friend




Comes under NHS when they get to see me under NHS.. They can wait up to 21 weeks before they see me .. and I KNOW this is unacceptable ,, but I can do nowt to improve this .. not a cop out ... it;s how the system works and I am only a cog in the wheel on all that

Fortunately I am talking to the reasoned intelligent logic of safespeed posters - which includes EVERYONE here .. (even those who do not agree with my opinions but who do respect them all the same ) and not Mr Waily Outraged who lives on some other message board




Oh .. I know we will move to the ID card plastic biometric all singing dancing d00-dah if we keep this current mob in power.

My old paper licence got torn from use and I needed the new one to hire a car abroad too . I had to replace it. I had a lump in my throat at relinquishing this in favour of a card and paper counterpart.

But basically - I see a need for a health check and I would be inclined to look at this with a general snapshot taken of each patient each 5-10 years or so. None of this need affect nor prevent a driver from driving ., but we medics would urge all to heed our advice all the same

OK .. Wildy hurts from abiding to her medic's opinion .. but I'd rather a fit Wildy than a below par one . even if the below par one might still be "above average"

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I've worked airside (aviation) and on London Underground, both required medicals, these could be done at a BAA / LUL appointed doc or by my own GP on the basis that I signed a disclaimer allowing my GP to divulge all information relevant to the questions being asked by those bodies.

I can't see why the same couldn't apply.

Sounds like another money maker dressed up as road safety, also do the medicals include eye tests ?

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The world runs on oil, period. No other substance can compete when it comes to energy density, flexibility, ease of handling, ease of transportation. If oil didn’t exist we would have to invent it.”

56 years after it was decided it was needed, the Bedford Bypass is nearing completion. The last single carriageway length of it.We have the most photogenic mayor though, always being photographed doing nothing