Diabetics may face taxi ban

Insulin-dependent diabetics could be banned from being taxi drivers in Newark and Sherwood.

There are three insulin-dependent drivers in the district who have licences subject to an annual medical.

The matter is being reviewed by the district council and was due to go before a meeting of the general purposes committee last night.

A report recommends that licences should not be issued to insulin-dependent diabetics.

This would mean the licences already issued to the three drivers could not be renewed, although they could take the matter to an appeal heard by magistrates.

Mrs Heather Draper (56) of Stafford Avenue, Balderton, has been a taxi driver for 20 years and runs an independent taxi company, Heather’s Cabs. She was diagnosed as diabetic in 2001.

She is now insulin dependent but said that did not stop her being a good driver.

“I am always very careful to take the insulin and ensure I look after myself properly,” she said.

“I don’t do long distance drives and I always follow all the guidelines.”

She thought there was probably more risk that drivers could suffer a heart attack at the wheel than insulin-dependent diabetics collapsing.

Mrs Draper said she took her work so seriously she was one of the first drivers in the district who in May completed an NVQ designed for taxi drivers. She hoped the council would decide she could continue driving.

“It would hit me financially if I had to stop. I have always enjoyed my job and so I want to continue,” she said.

Strategic director Mrs Kirsty Cole said councils were responsible for issuing taxi licences and could set their own medical standards. She said an insulin-dependent diabetic could be seen as posing a greater risk while driving because if the diabetes was not properly controlled they could have a hypoglycaemic episode.

“If the driver is not fully in control of himself then he will not be in control of the vehicle,” she said.

She said the DVLA’s medical panel had endorsed the position that insulin-dependent diabetics should not be licensed as taxi drivers.