Doctors on Wheels is circumventing a DVLA ban on its D4 medicals by offering HGV drivers medicals with self-employed doctors, MT has learnt.
DVLA stopped accepting all D4 medicals from Doctors on Wheels (DoW) from 20 June last year.
The decision was triggered by an investigation into the company, which saw raids on the firm’s offices in Swindon, Leicester and Huddersfield.
The joint investigation by DVLA and Swansea Trading Standards was prompted by claims that D4 medicals were not being completed properly by the firm, with unhealthy drivers being passed as fit to drive.
Despite DVLA warning that it is not acceptimg D4 medicals, the company is still offering them on its website.
When contacted by MT, DoW director Andrew Eburne said the company is offering D4 medicals via doctors who are self-employed and insisted the medicals were valid. He added that the company was discussing the matter with DVLA after taking legal advice.
One driver who booked a medical with DoW in January this year, which was carried out in a room in the Quality Hotel in Dudley, said the doctor insisted there would be no reference to DoW “anywhere” on the form.
The driver was also told by the doctor that if there were any issues with the form to contact the doctor directly and not contact DoW.
Asked if medicals booked through DoW are being accepted by DVLA, a DVLA spokesman told MT: “I can confirm that we are still not accepting D4 medical examination reports from Doctors on Wheels.”
He added: “The examining doctor must include their name, GMC registration number and the company or practice address they work for on the D4 form along with contact details for the company or practice.”
When asked to comment on the validity of medicals booked by DoW and carried out by self-employed doctors the spokesman said: “DVLA is continuing to investigate Doctors on Wheels.”
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has warned operators to check with their insurers to clarify the status of any driver whose most recent D4 medical was with DoW, irrespective of whether it was before or after DVLA ceased accepting D4 medicals from the company.
A spokesman said: "It may be that the insurer will require the drivers to submit to another medical because it is a legal requirement that drivers are fit to drive.
“If a driver’s medical is not compliant then the employer may be in breach of the terms of the insurance which would make them potentially liable in the case of a claim.”
DoW operates a mobile service across the country providing D4 medicals for HGV drivers, some of which are undertaken in the back of the company’s fleet of vans with others taking place in hotels.
According to Companies House, the directors of DoW are Beth and Jayne Eburne. Andrew and Steven Eburne are listed as persons with significant control at the business with the former owning more than a 50% stake in the company and the latter listed as owning more than 25% of the total shares of the company.
The company’s registered address in Leicester is shared by J Coates (HGV Services), an HGV driver training company also owned by Andrew Eburne and Steven Eburne.
