HGV driver medicals are being suspended by two of the largest providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fit2Drive Medicals suspended its D4 medicals yesterday (23 March) whilst D4Drivers suspended its medicals today (24 March)..
Fit2Drive Medicals carries out between 1,000 to 3,000 D4 medicals a month, whilst D4Drivers processes up to 5,000 drivers a month.
Speaking to motortransport.co.uk, Fit2Drive director Paul Andrews, who also runs Clitheroe-based Paul Andrews Haulage said: “We have taken the view it is safer not to expose drivers to the dangers of attending clinics during the pandemic and all our doctors back this decision.
“We also do not want to call drivers away from key duties supporting the supply chain during this time.”
Dr David Andrews, medical director at Fit2Drive Medicals, said continuing to carry out D4 medicals would be irresponsible.
“The massive volume of medicals we complete each day is not only increasing the risk of infection to other people but is directly effecting two of the crucial key worker groups, the HGV driver and the doctors.”
He added: "We are hoping the government will issue emergency legislation to relax the current rules on driver medical renewal examinations for an interim period, similar to the MOT/ drivers hours relaxation for HGVs that has been issued. This would ensure HGV drivers, who are key workers, to keep driving. We need to protect our drivers and doctors.”
D4Drivers announced a similar move today, following the government’s announcement of a nationwide lockdown.
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Earlier this week, D4Drivers was on the hunt for operators with spare warehouse or office space in which they could carry out medicals after the pandemic resulted in some of the buildings in which D4Driver clinics are held having to close down.
However the company has now decided it will not take any new bookings during the COVID-19 outbreak and is contacting hundreds of customers to reschedule.
D4Drivers medical director Dr Grant Charlesworth-Jones called on DVLA to give the industry clearer guidance on whether D4 medicals should be carried out during the pandemic and particularly during the national lock-down which came into effect yesterday (23 March).
Charlesworth-Jones said one option open to the DVLA is to suspend D4 renewals during the pandemic. However he warned that this option would only defer the need to process medicals and would create a “chronic” backlog.
“Alternatively the classification of the D4 medical as an essential medical would give us the go ahead to start the service up and deal with most of the demand - in a risk managed way in line with containing infection,” he suggested.
“Ultimately we are keeping an open mind to both options and have the flexibility to respond quickly to either - we are all at the mercy of the DVLA just to let us know what to do next,” he added.
A DVLA spokesperson told motortransport.co.uk: “We are aware of the issues and considering what can be done.”
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