Hi I am new to this, my dad was diagnosed with vascular dementia a year ago and given a year driving licence, his memory and symptoms have got worse ...
[his doctor's] advice was he shouldn't drive and hide the keys!
I told him he would have to be assessed before he can drive again is this something the doctor should be helping with, I am terrified of him getting behind a wheel again but because i am the only person caring for him I cannot be the one who tells him not to drive, can somebody please give me some advice on how i should handle this thank you
So: the diagnosis has been notified to DVLA already, and your dad got a one-year licence after that being notified and after taking a driving assessment, and the licence has now expired?
Doctors are under a duty to inform the DVLA if a patient refuses medical advice to stop driving. But if that notification has already taken place, I don't know that you could expect the doctor to do more, although you could ask the doctor if he or she can explain the situation to your dad, or try to persuade him.
Otherwise, let your dad take another driving assessment. If he fails, none of this will be your fault (although whether someone with dementia will see it that way is another matter, unfortunately).
How much does he actually need to get around, anyway? Alternative means of transport (such as Perfectdaughter found) might fill the need.
If he doesn't recognise his own car, how is he going to get in and drive it anywhere? But if there is a risk of that, measures people have suggested, such as taking the keys, disabling the car or 'taking it for repairs' seem sensible.
More information:
• From Alzheimer's Society:
Home About dementia Factsheets
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents.php?categoryID=200137
Driving and dementia (439)
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/439
• From the GMC's ethical guidance to doctors:
7. If you do not manage to persuade the patient to stop driving, or you discover that they are continuing to drive against your advice, you should contact the DVLA or DVA immediately and disclose any relevant medical information, in confidence, to the medical adviser.
Confidentiality: reporting concerns about patients to the DVLA or the DVA
http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance/28432.asp
• From GOV.UK:
Medical conditions, disabilities and driving
https://www.gov.uk/driving-medical-conditions
Check if you need to tell DVLA about a health condition
https://www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving
Alzheimer's disease and driving
https://www.gov.uk/alzheimers-disease-and-driving
You must tell DVLA if you have Alzheimer’s disease.
Dementia and driving
https://www.gov.uk/dementia-and-driving
You must tell DVLA if you suffer from dementia.
• Previous discussion (one of many on this topic):
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?42939
• To report to DVLA, if that hasn't been done already, can use:
DVLA Email Us
https://emaildvla.direct.gov.uk/
including:
I have concerns over a person's fitness to drive and I wish to tell the DVLA
https://emaildvla.direct.gov.uk/emaildvla/cegemail/dvla/en/drivers_med_03.html
All 3rd Party Notifications are treated with the strictest confidence and we never reveal to the licence holder or any other enquiring party where the information came from originally.