Driving after neurosurgery.

Fitness to drive

After being a patient in HDU or any of our neurosurgical wards it is important to realise that your driving license may need returning to the DVLA (Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency). This is dependent on the type of injury or surgery involved. It is very important relatives are aware of this situation as driving after certain types of surgery or injuries could be very dangerous and may in some circumstances be against the law.

"It is the duty of the licence holder or licence applicant to notify DVLA of any medical condition, which may affect safe driving."

Drivers wishing to drive after surgery should establish with their own doctors when it is safe to do so. Any decision regarding returning to driving must take into account several issues.

These include recovery from the surgical procedure, recovery from anaesthesia the distracting effect of pain, impairment due to analgesia (sedation and cognitive impairment) as well as any physical restrictions due to the surgery, underlying condition or other co-morbidconditions.

It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that he/she is in control of the vehicle at all times and to be able to demonstrate that is so, if stopped by the police. It might also be reasonable for the driver to check his/her insurance policy before returning to drive after surgery. DVLA February 2006

The DVLA website has put together a comprehensive list about the types of conditions that requires the return of a license to them. They also give details indicating how long the license will be held. These standards are reviewed every six months, following updated advice from the Secretary of State's Honorary Medical Advisory Panels.