Driving license desirable?

Guest101

sangie595 wrote: »

I would definitely argue that! If the employer needs to shift the job from one site to another part way through the day then it is work related travel - unless they are saying that each site has totally separate jobs which may be combined but don't have to be.


This sort of thing is a common reasonable adjustment - and I assumed it would be a reasonable adjustment because anything that means someone can't drive for medical reasons would 99.9% be a disability!


Glaswegen - ignore everything. It has absolutely nothing to do with budgets. Seriously, something the size of the NHS thinks it could get away with saying it does not have the money? No way that will ever happen. If you want to progress your career, and you want this job to do it, then give it your all and get that job. There are enough barriers in the way of people with disabilities. It is the employers responsibility to sort out adjustments with you. It is your responsibility to prove that you are the best person for the job. If people with disabilities fail to apply for jobs because their disability may be a disadvantage, no disabled people would work. And then there would be no role models to help and support others.


Forget everything except being the best person for the job. That is all you need to prove.

See I took medical reasons two ways:
1: something that was being treated, or could be in the future.
2: or something like epilepsy, which stops someone driving for a period of time


Obviously a permanent disability in this case, there is no likelihood of changing that

louisemichelle

Oh and in case you weren't already aware of it I meant to say I think there is a guaranteed interview scheme? (assuming you are in west Scotland because of your username)

NHS Scotland is “Positive About Disabled People”, therefore no applicant will be discriminated against on the grounds of disability. If you are invited to interview, you will have the opportunity at that point to discuss any particular requirements that you would have when attending for interview e.g. Induction Loop, Wheelchair access, Signer etc...
• In addition, NHS Scotland operates a Job Interview Guarantee (JIG) scheme, which means that if you have a disability, and meet the minimum criteria outlined within the Person Specification, you will be guaranteed an interview.

polgara

It is not a requirement that you are able to drive for the role, rather than you are mobile. How you get to the alternative sites (in a reasonable amount of time) is the issue here.

I would suggest contacting the recruitment team (anonymously if you wish) and ask about transport between sites for staff.

There may be a reasonable adjustment around timings, so that public transport may then be suitable. Its about looking at all the options, which is not necessarily about funding a taxi.

I've worked with staff who have lost their licences and to be honest it depends on the role - a community District Nurse in rural wilds really needs to be a driver, whilst an inner city counsellor was able to get around via public transport (not efficiently really but to a reasonable degree). Plus there were lots of car shares.

GlasweJen

I've emailed staff transport to ask about shuttles between the north site and the main site. I know there isn't one between south and main as I currently work in the south site and use the only shuttle to our main base for meetings and training.

Even though they are relatively close the public transport isn't very good. The bus to the south site takes an hour going via everywhere and the bus north takes 45 minutes.

The job is providing service in clinics so wouldn't be ideal for me to turn up half an hour late every afternoon assuming I eat lunch on the bus and also assuming there isn't a buggy in the wheelchair area of the bus.

GlasweJen

The job was advertised as a 37.5 hour role at X hospital, the driving between sites wasn't mentioned at all, there was mention of "flexibility" but it was the same wording as my current role where I go to another site for training and review meetings as the big boss works on the main site.

bod1467

Is one of the sites the new Suffering General?

My wife works at PRM, and sometimes at GRI.

(Not any help to you I know, sorry)

GlasweJen

Amazingly no! Our base at the moment is at the QEUH but I've never put a shift in there, just training at the golden cheese grater building and the occasional team meeting which I hate as the staff canteen is full of patients - who came up with that idea?

tomtontom

A taxi would be a reasonable adjustment in this situation (if other staff transport is not available) - I would be amazed if OH or HR would suggest otherwise. What I would question is whether this would work in practical terms, what would happen if the taxi was late or didn't turn up?

A friend had a colleague in a similar position, and whilst the team were all supportive, the practicalities of rearranging things when he was delayed made for a lot of work for the rest of them. That's not to say that would happen in this instance, but something to think about.

Manxman_in_exile

I'm ex-NHS and think it'd be appalling if you didn't get the chance to progress your career simply because you weren't mobile enough because of your disability.


Two thoughts. First, many NHS trusts with multiple sites have (or would used to have) a contract with a local taxi firm to provide transport for staff/patients/samples etc. If your trust has such an arrangement it should be cheaper than paying individual ad-hoc fares. Come to think of it, even if there isn't such a contract in place at the moment, perhaps a "reasonable adjustment" would be for your trust to enter into a taxi contract with a local firm just for you. It should be cheaper as the firm would have some guaranteed income based around your shift patterns.


Second, many trusts have volunteer drivers to collect and return patients for appointments etc. I wonder if it would be worthwhile trying to see if this could be extended to you if necessary? I suppose the problem might be if volunteer services are strictly limited to providing a service to patients and not staff?

sangie595

Guest101 wrote: »

See I took medical reasons two ways:
1: something that was being treated, or could be in the future.
2: or something like epilepsy, which stops someone driving for a period of time


Obviously a permanent disability in this case, there is no likelihood of changing that

Smile now... But... Epilepsy is a disability. Even when medicated. Even if there hasn't been an attack for a long time. Because there is never any certainty that it is over, so it had a permanent impact on normal living. Like diabetes, which can also be medicated or controlled, but it's still a disability. Simply because one may get one's licence to drive back does not mean you aren't disabled. My friend Gary has epilepsy from brain damage. Last year he was permitted to get his licence back. He had decided against it because nobody can guarantee he won't ever have another attack, and he isn't prepared to take that risk for other people. But legally he is entitled to drive now. And is disabled.