Simon Child wrote:
> Mike Carey wrote:
>
>> does the GP have the power to *insist* that my
>> grandfather can no longer drive?
> See http://www.dvla.gov.uk/at_a_glance/what_is.htm
> "5 If you do not manage to persuade patients to stop driving, or you
> are given or find evidence that a patient is continuing to drive
> contrary to advice, you should disclose relevant medical information
> immediately, in confidence, to the medical adviser at DVLA."
It's not as simple as that.
In Mike's situation a relative is telling the GP about grandfather's
unfitness to drive. The GP has not directly seen any evidence.
Now I'm sure that this does not apply to Mike, but we are all aware that
relatives telling us things may have other agendas (agendae?).
The last time I had to deal with such a situation I asked the patient
the next time we met about the problems the relative had described
(without letting on that someone had told me). The patient agreed that
he was getting them and after discussion (I can't remember whether my
duty to inform the DVLC was mentioned) he agreed to stop driving.
But, imagine a scenario. Father has promised his car to son when he no
longer needs it. Son needs car and can't afford (or would rather defraud
his father than pay for one) so goes to father's GP with stories about
father's unfitness to drive....
The GP may have an obligation to investigate such claims. but he/she
certainly should not inform such allegations to the DVLC as fact. Is
there a mechanism to report 'what relatives say' to the DVLC.
DR
--
David Rayne
Medical Web Services Ltd
www.mwsuk.co.uk
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