DVLA to cover diabetics’ medical assessment costs
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By Chris Tindall THE DVLA HAS conirmed that it will cover the cost of individual medical assessments (IMAs) for diabetics wishing to get Group 2 driving entitlements when they commence in October.
Ever since CM irst reported in November 2008 that people who successfully treat their condition with insulin injections pose no greater risk of causing accidents than the rest of the population, questions have been raised about who would fund a screening programme. But the DVLA has now told CM that it will foot the bill for the assessments. Meanwhile, charity Diabetes UK warns that a requirement to provide three months’ worth of blood glucose readings before an IMA is carried out has been announced at too short a notice.
Diabetes UK senior policy oficer Nikki Joule says: “We are concerned that the IMA requires three months’ worth of blood glucose readings, which will be impossible for people to collect even if they start now. Diabetes UK has asked the DVLA for some lexibility in the introduction of this requirement.” A DVLA spokesman says it is “doing all we can to inform people that this is necessary,” and adds: “The Medical Advisory Panel advised in order that we are satisied someone has satisfactory control over their glucose levels [that] they require three months’ worth of readings from them.” In June, oficial igures revealed that more than 240 diabetic drivers had their vocational driving licence revoked in the last three years alone.
The DVLA igures show that in 2008, 2009 and 2010, a total of 242 individuals lost their HGV and PSV licences because they had insulin-treated diabetes, suggesting that there could be many more people unable to use their HGV driving qualiications than previously thought.