DAC 156/22 - DfI - DVA - Provision of Professional Medical Advisory Services relating to DVA License Applications

This DAC is to provide Occupational Health Services to the DVA, acting on behalf of the Department for Infrastructure.

As a result of reducing resources and additional work demands, OHS’ specialist medical assessment service provider are currently experiencing difficulties in delivering the medical assessment service for driver assessments which they carry out for the Driver & Vehicle Agency (an Agency of the Department for Infrastructure).

These are urgent, critical services. The ability to procure these services to support will safeguard the delivery of fitness to drive medical assessments to the DVA.

This DAC is to provide Occupational Health Services to the DVA, acting on behalf of the Department for Infrastructure.

DVA are required to be satisfied that a driver meets the required medical fitness to drive standards as part of the licensing consideration. This may be done in-house by DVA staff who assess the information available, or by referring the case to the qualified medical officers who may be able to assess the case on the information provided, request further information or determine that a specialist medical assessment is required, in which case the driver is referred to the OHS’ specialist medical assessment service provider. As a result of reducing resources and additional work demands, OHS’ specialist medical assessment service provider are currently experiencing difficulties in delivering the medical assessment service for driver assessments which they carry out for the Driver & Vehicle Agency (an Agency of the Department for Infrastructure).

These are urgent, critical services. The ability to procure these services to support will safeguard the delivery of fitness to drive medical assessments to the DVA. There are capacity and capability issues in this sector, with competing demand for resources in both the private and public sector and the Department must act quickly to secure essential support. This DAC provides support for a period of up to 24 months. During this time DVA will continue to consider options and seek to implement a longer term solution to secure the provision of fitness to drive medical assessments. Services must be covered in the interim to cover statutory responsibilities. These are urgent, critical, citizen facing services. There is no option to do nothing and it is in the public interest to expedite the appointment of a contractor.