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Driver recruitment scrutinised

Date: 10 August 2015   |   Author: Tristan Young

Driver recruitment procedures at Glasgow City Council have come under fire in the inquiry into the bin lorry crash which killed six people at the end of last year.

The inquiry has heard the driver Harry Clarke lied about his medical history which included several episodes of fainting or blacking out.

Glasgow City Council said he would not have been employed if it had known about his background.
The driver was hired by the council at the start of 2011 to drive a minibus. At this time he had been suspended by his previous employer First Bus over a dispute about his timekeeping, but the council was not aware of this.

The court also heard that Clarke had been off work for a month in 2010 after reportedly fainting while at the wheel of a bus for his previous employer, and that this information was not on his exit form from First Bus.
Glasgow Sheriff Court also heard Clarke failed to disclose his medical history on a Bupa form for the council when he was promoted to driving heavier vehicles.

It is the driver's responsibility to inform the DVLA of any medical conditions that may affect their ability to drive, according to Richard Brown, managing director of Licence Check. Because of this, there is little fleets can do if drivers go out of their way to lie.

"It's always the driver's responsibility to tell the DVLA of any medical issue affecting their ability to drive. However, a GP does have a responsibility too, they have a form they can fill in for the DVLA if they believe the person is still driving and they've been advised not to," said Brown.

"These forms go to the DVLA's medical group who liaise on the condition and make a ruling which could be to remove a licence, to allow it with conditions or suspend it.

"I think GPs should automatically declare to the DVLA if a condition applies that will affect the ability to drive, and it's situations like this that show you why.

"If the DVLA knows about medical conditions then our licence checks could pick up the issues."
Brown added: "As an employer the only thing you can do is independent medical examinations, and for certain groups of drivers these can be worthwhile.

"This situation could happen again unless a change takes place, and more should be done so that drivers have to declare medical conditions."



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