On Monday Grant Davis represented the London Cab Drivers Club at a meeting with Tfl, in regards to the on going situation with Driver medicals.
This all stems from the expose in The Sun Newspaper where certain PH drivers were actually “buying” their medicals without undertaking the proper medical tests. In some cases, it was alleged that medical checks were being carried out on-line.
Tfl are now looking to outsource the medicals to as of yet a “unknown” private medical provider and thus bring parity with both sides of the industry where we all would have to take the exact same medical examination.
At present, the cost of these medicals will be in the region (they say) of between £100 – 150 and the provider must have locations around London and also provide parking facilities. As we’ve seen with TfL regarding PH Licence costs, this price could change dramatically once established.
At Monday’s meeting, Tfl went on to say that the return of unsatisfactory medical forms is at 60% and they hope by outsourcing, this will be cut?
It was revealed in the Sin last year that many private hire drivers had submitted unsatisfactory medical firms but it is our belief, that as with the 13,000 fake DBS criminal record checks TfLTPH took no action in regards to the medicals.
Grant Davis said the LCDC, are not comfortable with this! The majority of taxi drivers have a properly registered GP and again this appears to be the result of a knee jerk reaction to the amount of abuse by PH drivers who have lived in the U.K. for such a short space of time. These drivers may not even have a GP, but they want to get a PH licence in London and having a medical is a requisite to do so.
Grant went on to say, the Club feels there is a lot more work to be done on this issue.
Read the full article in the Sun, click link below
TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT:
We been receiving messages from drivers who have contacted their own GP/practises.
We've been informed doctors/practise managers are concerned about this apparent loss of a much needed source of income but even more so by fact another third party will be given access to private medical histories.
Every Taxi Driver needs to contact their own doctor and give them the link to this post.
Doctors I’ve spoken to today are incensed at this ill thought out decision from TfL.
3 comments:
Don’t worry as we will it be here in 5 years we will all be working from an app
Brighton & Hove council insists that the medical is carried by the drivers GP who has access to medical records..
Why should legitimate honest taxi drivers have to suffer another inconvenience due to the dodgy behaviours of many private hire and the incompetence of the licensing authority. A proper visit to your registered GP is perfectly adequate, with the added benefit they know your history. This trying to accommodate new arrivals into the country is a massive failing hence weak criminal checks. With me they can actually check back to when I was born over 50 years. New arrivals they can't, therefore some dodgy characters will slip through net. When on knowledge for 4 years at least you get a long check over period.
Post a Comment