Medical assessment for licensing of taxi drivers by Scottish Local Authorities

In the UK, licensing of taxi drivers is dealt with by localgovernment authorities. In Scotland, before the recent reorganizationof local government, taxi licensing was under the jurisdictionof District Councils, so a telephone survey was conducted ofall 52 mainland Scottish District Councils to ascertain theprocedures which were being employed in assessing medical fitnessto drive a taxi, for which there is no national standard. Medicalenquiries relevant to fitness to drive were being made by 41(79%) of local authorities, but in 38 (73%) this was limitedto a single question about health. No enquiry regarding healthstatus was being made by 11 (21%) District Councils (all serving< 100,000 population size). Only three Scottish DistrictCouncils conducted a routine medical examination of all applicants.Thirteen of the 15 large (> 100,000 population size), and20 of the 21 medium-sized (50,000–100,000) Scottish DistrictCouncils carried out medical examinations either when a relevantmedical disorder was declared by the applicant, or when theapplicant was above a defined age (which varied between localauthorities). The small local authorities (population < 50,000)examined only those applicants who declared medical disorders.This survey has shown considerable variation and limitationsin the approach of the previously existing Scottish DistrictCouncils to the assessment of medical fitness to drive of applicantsfor taxi licences. It is suggested that national standards andguidelines are required for medical fitness to drive in relationto taxi licensing.