[Richard]

A truck-driver who believes he has Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is faced with a dilemma.

If he goes to his GP and gets referred for a sleep-study consultation, then once the diagnosis is confirmed the driver must surrender his licence to the DVLA, and risk losing his job. If he takes the path of denial and carries on driving as though nothing has changed, he risks causing a fatal traffic-accident and receiving a lengthy prison-sentence.

As things stand, once the driver is established with CPAP therapy, he can apply to have his licence returned and resume driving.

The problem is the long delay between the driver first seeing his GP and getting started on CPAP Therapy to the point where he can have his licence returned. This is very often in excess of twelve months.

The time involved needs to be very much shorter, so the driver is off-work rather than out-of-work.

If you are/were an HGV driver, please let me have your views on the following points:

1. Did you put off visiting your GP because you felt you were putting your career in jeopardy?

2. How many visits did you have to make before the GP referred you to a sleep consultant?

3. How long did you have to wait for the appointment?

4. How long did you have to wait before you were started on CPAP Therapy?
5. From being diagnosed and surrendering your licence, how long was it until you got your licence back?

6. Do you continue to use CPAP regularly?

Your responses would be very much appreciated. It is the essence of a campaign I am conducting, and I very much welcome any input from CPAP Forum members.

Thank you again.

Richard

[Tigers Fan]

Hi Richard

Are you limiting your campaign to HGV drivers only?

The problem you outline is just as acute for company reps and van drivers as well as anyone who has no (reasonable) alternative tlo driving to work.

In fact, its as acute for all drivers just that one's income isn't necessarily at risk.

TF

[Richard]

Hi TF,

No, but I have to start somewhere. Over 300 people lose their lives every year as the victims of road accidents where the driver was asleep at the wheel. And a 40-tonne artic. is going to make more impact than a Suzuki van.

As we SA people know already, you don't know you have it till somebody, usually the long-suffering wife, tells you. So what about drivers with no bed-partner? What about the drivers you see parked up in lay-bys every night, alone?

Most fatal RTAs occur early morning or late afternoon/evening. Without CPAP, as you well know, you wake up with a thumping headache and feel ghastly. But you need to be on your way . . . .

And when you go to your GP, he will tell you to get to bed earlier and don't drink so much. And when, eventually, you are diagnosed, you lose your licence and your job. Not much of an incentive to come clean, is it? But it could be made so much easier.

That's why I am appealing for some data from OSA stricken drivers, who have read the book, got the t-shirt, etc.

The worst thing that can happen is for those who suspect they may have OSA to deny it, and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that this is happening on a fairly broad scale.

[James @ Intus]

Hi Richard,

I missed this great effort so better late than never.

Truckers are very much in a difficult position and the official rules/guidelines do little to help them out. The 18 week targets were bad enough for truckers (as there could be months between diagnosis and treatment or in other words, months of no driving/no work/no income) and there is talk of these targets to vanish again.

Officially, after diagnosis has been confirmed, they shouldn't drive until they are treated and treatment is confirmed to be under control. That gap of uncertainty is the problem.

This is probably why so many truckers use our in-home sleep study service. Between getting the results of a study and commencing CPAP can be as little as 48 hours. A week later, the data report can be downloaded to confirm compliance.

So in answer to your questions, truckers then typically* report:

1. Yes, so I went private so I'm not bound by NHS policy to inform the DVLA

2. No need, if I suspect sleep apnoea (I snore, I'm a bit overweight and feel tried) I can book a test online like that, no referral needed

3. No wait, next day delivery of the in-home test equipment, which is the same stuff as used in the NHS clinics

4. After sending the kit back (Royal Mail returns bag included) it took 4 working days for the data to be analysed and a day after that I got the results by letter. As mild/moderate/severe OSA was confirmed and I didn't show any contraindications, I was able to start CPAP (Auto) 2 days later.

5. I was able to send the DVLA confirmation of diagnosis on day X and send them proof of compliance of therapy 8 days later. I got the 'green light' before it was even revoked, having followed up the correspondence I sent them by recorded mail.

6. Yes, am considering a second 12V unit for in the truck.

* It obviously varies... But this is what dozens of truckers/taxi drivers were able to achieve.

Of course, it not only helps the employees of transport companies, but the companies themselves too. Sleep-related incidents are known to cause a lot more damage (no braking involved) so costs are a lot higher than other RTAs. This can mean huge savings for unsurers and haulage companies for example. It's in their best interest to assist the drivers in this predicament. The stats don't lie, truckers are prima OSA candidates.

We could put your survey in the next forum newsletter to draw attention to it.