Driving
for work and Diabetes
Diet treated diabetes
People
with diabetes may hold vocational driving licences allowing them to drive
heavy goods vehicles (HGV) and passenger carrying vehicles (PCV) but
only in certain circumstances.
Diet treated diabetes
People whose diabetes
is treated by diet alone may hold these licences. Drivers do not need
to notify the DVLA unless they develop any disabilities or complications
such as those affecting eyes, feet, the heart or strokes or if they have
certain other medical conditions that are prohibited.
Diet and tablet treated diabetes
If
your diabetes is treated by a combination of diet and tablets, you must
inform the DVLA. This will not prevent you from holding a HGV or PCV
licence unless you develop other problems
Insulin treated diabetes
People
whose diabetes is treated with insulin are barred in law from driving
HGV or PCV vehicles from 01/09/1991. If your treatment changes and you
require insulin to treat your diabetes a recommendation to revoke your
licence will be made. Drivers with insulin treated diabetes who were
licensed before 01/04/1991 are dealt with on an individual basis, and
licensed subject to a satisfactory annual assessment by a diabetes specialist,
usually a Consultant.
Applying for C1/C1+E entitlement
Changes
to the law in April 2001 allow “exceptional case” drivers
to apply for or retain their entitlement to drive class C1 vehicles
(3500-7500Kgs Lorries) subject to annual medical examination.
In order to qualify for C1/C1+E entitlement you must satisfy certain
conditions.
You must not have had any hypos which have required assistance while
driving within the last 12 months. You must commit to monitoring your
blood glucose levels at least twice a day and at those times relevant
to your driving. No other medical conditions must be present which would
bar you from driving these vehicles. You will need to arrange to be examined
by a Diabetes Specialist Consultant every 12 months. At the time of this
examination your consultant will need to review your blood glucose records
for the previous 3 month period.
If your application is successful you will need to continue to monitor
in this way, particularly at times relevant to driving C1/C1+E vehicles.
Seeking advice and what care to
expect
You should expect to have any employment issues and driving
issues considered at diagnosis, at your regular annual reviews thereafter
and at any important treatment changes such as conversion to insulin
treatment. The impact of your diabetes upon employment and driving
should be discussed to your satisfaction and you should be made fully
aware of any implications. You should be made aware of how to deal
with your diabetes self care and treatment whilst driving. You will
be assessed at least once a year to find out about any diabetes complications
and you should expect to be advised if they affect your medical fitness
to drive.
Please ensure that you report to your medical team any health problems
that have occurred that may affect your driving such as hypos, vision
problems, heart problems or strokes and blackouts.
If you have any concerns about employment and / or driving, your diabetes
team should address these for you.
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