Heart man's appeal
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
DOCTORS last week gave evidence in an appeal heard at Forfar Sheriff Court in which a lorry driver was appealing against the Scottish Licensing Authority's decision not to renew his Class 3 licence.
Giving evidence, driver David Rioch told Sheriff Stuart Kermack that he suffered a heart attack in 1978. Until then he had been driving heavy lorries. He reported the heart attack to the LA, and his licence was restricted to a Class 3 and 3A category.
In 1979, he applied successfully to have his licence for class 3 vehicles renewed. That year, he underwent an operation on his left leg for vascular trouble and on his right leg the following year. The licence was renewed again last year.
Earlier this year, he applied again and it was refused. His application had gone to Swansea where the medical officer for the DTp had recommended refusal.
John Clark, surgeon at Dundee University, said that he had seen Mr Rioch in Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. In his view, the fact that he had stood up to two operations without any other cardiac upset confirmed that Mr Rioch's heart was capable of standing stress. Indeed, he considered him to be much fitter today than he was in 1979 and 1980.
William Walker, consultant surgeon at Ninewells, said that Mr Rioch had stopped smoking and had lost a stone in weight through dieting, which were all to his good.
Dr Henry Jones, medical adviser to the Department of Transport, said that Mr Rioch's past record had made him an unacceptable risk. He said that he had not been consulted on the two previous occasions when Mr Rioch had been given a renewal of his class 3 licence.
He said: "We must take into account the interests of the general public so that we do not involve ourselves in any unnecessary possible risk, and of course in the case of heavy goods vehicles, one has to be extra careful."
Dr Jones said that Mr Rioch, in his application, had applied for a renewal of the class 1 licence which was for heavy lorries. He admitted that there was no greater risk in having an acci dent in a class 3 vehicle than with a car, but he said: "People with any evidence of peripheral artery disease and coronary trouble are more at risk. I do not feel that due attention was paid in 1979 to his peripheral disease."
David Wigman, depot manager of Carryfast in Dundee, said that at present Mr Rioch was employed by them at their depot because they were a man short. There was no guarantee, however, that if that person returned to work they could keep Mr Rioch employed.
Sheriff Kermack reserved judgment.