52 | Private Hire News | ISSUE 71 | AUTUMN 2015 www.lphca.co.uk | [email protected] | @LPHCA Talking of GRADING... Fitness to drive for Private Hire Vehicle and Taxi drivers who have had heart problems The LPHCA is very aware that for Private Hire Vehicle & Taxi Drivers there can be many difficulties to overcome regarding a Heart Problem, whether it is because of a Heart Condition or even a Heart Attack. The biggest source of medical calls to our office relates to Heart Problems. We used to receive many calls relating to diabetes but since better guidelines and rules were issued, following campaigning by the LPHCA, GMB and Private Hire Board, heart-related problems are now the main enquiries we receive. Whilst Heart Problems are complex they certainly don’t necessarily amount to ‘the end of the road’ for every Private Hire Vehicle & Taxi Driver who has one. As we said a long while ago, a licensed driver who has been treated for a condition that is known is a lot safer than many drivers whose medical conditions are not yet known. All Licensing Authorities have a duty of care to the travelling public and of course to the driver too as they must ensure that they are fit to drive for everyone’s wellbeing and safety. DVLA Group 2 requirements The Government has instructed all Private Hire Vehicle & Taxi Driver licensing authorities that all drivers must demonstrate much higher levels of fitness to drive than were previously required. Currently these are the same standards applied to lorry and bus drivers. You can see these standards in detail on the DVLA website under DVLA Group 2 requirements. www.dft.gov.uk/dvla/medical/aag.aspx So when a driver or one of our member operators calls to seek help, one of the main issues is the cost of appealing against loss of a licence, alongside the costs of getting assessed for fitness to get a licence back. This also applies to new drivers with a known heart condition who would also need to provide at his or her cost ‘proof of fitness to drive a Taxi or Private Hire Vehicle. Expensive Costs We have heard stories from Drivers and Operators that costs move from hundreds into thousands, so we were delighted to hear from Dr Robert Greenbaum, a Past President of the Cardiology Section of The Royal Society of Medicine, who has put together information about Heart Problems below. We are also extremely pleased that Dr Greenbaum’s costs appear to be considerably less than the fees that we usually hear about and he hopes to maintain lower prices by helping as many Private Hire Vehicle & Taxi Drivers as possible. The LPHCA is therefore pleased to inform all Drivers and Operators through this Talking of Drivers article. Standards required for drivers with a history of heart disease Many drivers who have had a heart problem will need to pass one or more of the tests below in order to continue to drive. Summary of Rules for specific heart problems 1. Drivers who have had a heart attack a. At least 6 weeks after the attack b. Free of angina for six weeks c. Pass a 9 minute treadmill exercise test (Bruce protocol) d. May also need to have an Echocardiogram 2. Drivers who have had an angioplasty / stent a. At least 6 weeks after the angioplasty / stent b. Free of angina for six weeks c. Pass a 9 minute treadmill exercise test (Bruce protocol) 3. Drivers who have had bypass surgery (CABG) a. At least three months after the operation b. Free of angina for six weeks c. Pass a 9 minute treadmill exercise test (Bruce protocol) d. Echocardiogram to show that the LVEF (pumping power of the heart) is at least 40%