Agenda item

MEDICAL REQUIREMENT FOR HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE DRIVERS

Minutes:

The Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment reported upon the outcome of the consultation that had taken place in respect of a review of the medical requirements for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers and the necessity to determine the future medical requirement for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers in Wirral.

 

The Licensing Manager informed Members of the current requirements that must be met before a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Driver Licence may be granted which included a satisfactory medical and that following the grant of a licence, licensed drivers were not required to undertake a further medical check until they reached the age of 65 years when medical checks were then required annually on renewal of the licence.

 

It was reported that a number of guidance documents and recommendations had been published which included reference to the medical requirement for licensed drivers and that further to the consultation having taken place, 209 responses had been received.  Members were advised that the majority of respondents (69%) stated that more regular medical checks should be undertaken by Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Drivers and that the most popular option was for medical checks to be undertaken on initial application and thereafter every three years with checks being undertaken annually from age 65 years.

 

The Licensing Manager advised that the Joint Consultative Committee, at its meeting held on 23 March 2015, had supported the view that there should be an increase in the frequency of medicals undertaken by licensed drivers.

 

Derek Cummins, Unite the Union, attended the meeting and made representations in respect of the recommendations made in the report.  He raised concerns in respect of the cost that would be incurred to drivers as this had not been indicated within the report.  Mr Cummins questioned the need for new requirements being imposed by Local Authorities when it hadn’t been imposed by the Government.  He believed that the recommendations outlined in the report were more stringent than other Local Authorities and the requirement of the Group 2 licence holders.  He raised concerns in respect of there being no justification to change the medical requirements and urged that the recommendations be rejected.

 

Mr Cummins responded to questions from Members of the Committee.

 

The Licensing Manager confirmed that there were a number of reasons that had contributed to the proposed recommendations, one of which being the outcome of the consultation.  She also confirmed that the trade had supported the change in requirements and that it would be a positive step to improve the health of licensed drivers.  She also referred to the Deregulation Bill and advised that the proposals would be in line with the three year renewal of licences should this come into force.

 

In response to questions from Members, the Licensing Manager confirmed that the cost of medicals varied in different practices and that some practices would only carry out medicals on their own patients.  Members expressed their concerns regarding drivers who had been prescribed drugs for health reasons and not notified Licensing as well as certain medical conditions.  Members acknowledged there would be a cost implication for drivers, however, they supported the recommendations proposed as they acknowledged their duty to ensure the safety of the public.

 

It was moved by Councillor S Niblock and seconded by Councillor J Salter that –

 

“(1)  Members adopt the following Policy in respect of the medical requirement for Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Drivers:

 

  Medical checks are undertaken by a General Practitioner in the medical practice to which the individual is registered on initial application and thereafter every three years with checks being undertaken annually from age 65.

 

(2)  Members confirm that the standards applied to the medical examination required to be undertaken by Private Hire and Hackney Carriage drivers are the Group 2 medical standards applied by the DVLA and that the medical from attached at Appendix 5 of the report is adopted to be used by doctors undertaking the medical.

 

(3)  Members set the implementation of the Policy to be effective from 1 August 2015 requiring each driver to present a satisfactory medical certificate for their first renewal from this date.

 

Resolved –

 

(1)  That the following Policy in respect of the medical requirement for Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Drivers be adopted:

 

  Medical checks are undertaken by a General Practitioner in the medical practice to which the individual is registered on initial application and thereafter every three years with checks being undertaken annually from age 65.

 

(2)  That the medical form attached at Appendix 5 of the report be adopted to be used by doctors undertaking the medical and that the standards applied to the medical examination required to be undertaken by Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Drivers are the Group 2 medical standards applied by the DVLA.

 

(3)  That the Policy be implemented to be effective from 1 August 2015 requiring each driver to present a satisfactory medical certificate for their first renewal from this date.

Supporting documents: