Doctors ‘should be allowed to inform DVLA’ of dementia diagnoses
A CORONER has written to the Government urging it to consider changing the law to allow doctors to report patients’ confidential dementia diagnoses to the DVLA so those severely affected cannot drive.
The move follows an inquest into the death of Joan Williams, 83, who along with her husband, David, 85, were killed when the car she was driving veered into the path of an oncoming lorry.
Mrs Williams had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 18 months earlier and had been advised by her doctor to tell the DVLA and her insurance company of her dementia.
Despite saying she would contact the relevant authorities, Mrs Williams became “confused by the process” and continued to drive short distances, Emma Whitting, senior coroner for Bedfordshire and Luton, has told Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary.
The DVLA had still not been informed of her illness by the time of the head-on crash in Bedfordshire last September. Although it is not known why Mrs Williams lost control of her Vauxhall Corsa, the inquest heard it was
“most likely to have resulted from driver confusion”.
A motorist is legally responsible for telling the DVLA or DVA in Northern Ireland if they have any condition that affects their driving.
However, doctors are only required to disclose such a medical condition to the driving authorities if they believe it is in the public interest because they are aware a patient is still driving.
In her letter, Ms Whitting wrote: “It was discussed at the inquest that this tragedy... might suggest the public interest could be better served by the introduction of legislation to require all such diagnoses to be referred directly to the DVA/DVLA from the memory assessment clinic and/or GP.”
She added doctors are “extremely busy” and unlikely to know whether a patient is flouting their instructions not to drive.
John Robertson, Mrs Williams’s only son, said that while he was not aware of problems with his mother’s ability to drive he welcomed the coroner’s calls for a review of the law.
“We don’t really know what caused the accident that day, apart from what the coroner recognised as a ‘loss of control’,” he said.
“The problem with dementia is patients do not always remember or want to inform the DVLA. Therefore, I expect the outcome of the coroner’s report would be to insist doctors inform the DVLA at the time of diagnosis. A short-term driving licence could then be issued and the driver can be viewed regularly for deterioration.”
Gavin Terry, head of policy at the Alzheimer’s Society, said that while those with the condition should follow the law by informing the relevant licensing agencies there was no need to change legislation.
“A diagnosis of dementia does not automatically make someone incapable of driving, as there is much variation in symptoms and the way the condition progresses,” he said.
A Department for Transport spokeswoman said the minister would respond “in due course”.