September 2024

 

Fleet Communicare very much appreciates the efforts of all our volunteer drivers, both young and older, who give freely of their time to provide client transport to hospital and medical appoints.

 

To ensure we comply with best practice guidelines, as set out by The Good Neighbours Network (GNN), we encourage participation in the Older Driver Skills Assessment Scheme for any driver, current or new, once they reach the age of 60. Hampshire County Council is the provider and administrator of this scheme.

For drivers, between the ages of 60 to 75 years, Communicare will pay half the cost. The total cost is £45. For our drivers aged 75 and over, Communicare will fully reimburse the cost.

Participation in the Driver Skills Assessment Scheme is voluntary. It is an informal and confidential appraisal with the aim of updating and enhancing current driving skills. It is not a test and there is no pass or fail element. The assessor will sit beside you in your car and look at the way you drive along the roads you would normally take. He/she will assess the way the driver deals with various traffic situations and will make recommendations to ensure ongoing safety. If Communicare is paying for the scheme, the assessor - when he/she provides feedback to the driver - will ask if the driver is willing for the appraisal to be provided, on a confidential basis, to Communicare. There is no compulsion for the driver to consent to this sharing information and the driver is at liberty to say no.

Communicare will continue to use existing drivers when they reach the age of 75, if they agree to participate in the scheme. Communicare will cease to use drivers who have not completed an assessment 6 months after their 75th birthday.

 All new drivers over the age of 75 years will be asked to undertake this assessment. Following the initial assessment, we ask drivers over the age of 75 to undertake further assessment, every 2 years, or as frequently as recommended by the assessor.

A record of these assessments will be kept on our secure database.

Regular eye sight tests are important for safe driving in our later years. Communicare requires that drivers, over the age of 70 are able to confirm that they have had a biennial eye test and have achieved the acceptable standard for driving.

For any new drivers who volunteer at, or over, the age of 75 years, the above conditions must be met before they can start to drive for us.   In addition, new drivers must have their own, individual, email address and be willing to join our Whatsapp Task group.

Kate Harvey

Trustee for Drivers

9th September 2024