Draft medical guidelines released

The National Transport Commission is calling on stakeholders to comment on its proposed changes to medical standards and guidelines outlined in its draft publication, Assessing Fitness to Drive (AFTD).

A joint publication produced by the NTC and Austroads, the guidelines aim to increase road safety by helping health professionals:

>> assess the fitness of their patients to drive
>> promote responsible behaviour in their patients
>> conduct medical examinations for licensing drivers as required by licensing authorities, and
>> provide information to inform conditional licence decisions.

Acting Chief Executive of the NTC, Geoff Allan, said doctors were the best people to advise someone whether they are medically safe to drive or not.

"It is important to give doctors guidelines on when to talk to their patients about any conditions that may affect their driving ability and what factors to consider," he said.

"Because medical advice and evidence constantly evolves it is sensible to regularly review AFTD to make sure it continues to strike the right balance between reducing crashes on our roads and meeting the transport needs of people with a chronic medical condition."

Among the proposed changes are the removal of glycated haemoglobin levels (HbA1C > 9%) as an indicator for 'satisfactory control' of diabetes after receiving the latest advice and medical evidence from leading diabetes authorities.

"Other proposed changes generally provide greater flexibility for individual assessment of people with a chronic disease or medical condition without compromising public safety," says the NTC.

The body is inviting interested parties to comment on the AFTD before Friday, January 8, 2015.

Click here to view the draft guidelines and here to view the NTC's preceding consultation report.

The consultation report is intended to be read in conjunction with the proposed draft AFTD, says the NTC.

The NTC will consider these submissions when drafting final recommendations and providing them to the Transport and Infrastructure Council's next meeting, expected to be held in mid-2016.