Quality standard
Quality statement 5: Driving advice
Quality statement 5: Driving advice
Quality statement
People who have had a transient loss of consciousness are advised not to drive while they are awaiting specialist assessment.
Rationale
People who have experienced a transient loss of consciousness may be at risk of injuring themselves or others if they lose consciousness again. While they are awaiting specialist assessment, the risk of recurrence is uncertain and so driving should be avoided (see the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's [DVLA] guidance on assessing fitness to drive).
Quality measures
The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.
Structure
Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that people who have had a transient loss of consciousness are advised not to drive while they are awaiting specialist assessment.
Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from service protocols.
Process
Proportion of people who have had transient loss of consciousness who are advised not to drive while awaiting specialist assessment.
Numerator – the number in the denominator who are advised not to drive.
Denominator – the number of people who have had transient loss of consciousness and are awaiting specialist assessment.
Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from patient records.
What the quality statement means for different audiences
Service providers (acute, primary and secondary care) ensure that advice is provided to people who have had a transient loss of consciousness to not to drive while they are awaiting specialist assessment.
Healthcare professionals advise people who have had a transient loss of consciousness to not to drive while they are awaiting specialist assessment.
Commissioners (NHS England area teams, integrated care systems and clinical commissioning groups) work with healthcare professionals to ensure that education (including continuous training programmes) is delivered to advise people who have had a transient loss of consciousness are advised to not to drive while they are awaiting specialist assessment.
People who have had a blackout and are waiting to have a specialist assessment are advised not to drive in case they have a blackout while driving.
Source guidance
Transient loss of consciousness in over 16s. NICE guideline CG109 (2010, updated 2014), recommendation 1.5.2.2