Rapid Response automates licence checking with DAVIS

Rapid Response Medical Group has switched to automated licence checking using DAVIS (Driver and Vehicle Information Solution) from Licence Check.

Prior to appointing Licence Check, the Ambulance service relied on manual licence checking systems but found these too time consuming, labour intensive, costly and prone to error.

Mitchell Johnson, director of Ambulance and Clinical Services at Rapid Repsonse, said: “The idea that manual licence checking systems are cost and labour saving is a total misconception. We have switched from a manual system to the DAVIS platform and have been extremely happy with it.

“We like its ease of use, the fact that its fully automated and we can set our own risk policy within the system. It’s also cost-effective and labour saving, while another USP is that we receive great support and help from Licence Check staff, which is free of charge as it’s all part of the package.

Rapid Response supplies private clients, the NHS and other ambulance services with high dependency and emergency transport, and organ and blood rapid transport.

It currently handles some 20,000 emergency calls a month and is recruiting around 20 new staff a month to try and keep up with demand.

The company operates a fleet of 58 medical vehicles, mainly specially adapted Renault Masters, 11 cars and two vans, but currently has a further 55 new vehicles, mainly conversions around a MAN Box Chassis, on order to cope with growing demand.

Every new driver who joins the company has to undergo a driving assessment from the three-strong driver education team of dedicated blue light driving instructors. If they are then recruited, they are added to DAVIS using the e-approval system, although Rapid Response is also considering introducing the On-Site onboarding of drivers which enables them to add drivers to DAVIS face-to-face at a single location or site.

There are currently around 350 drivers on DAVIS and expects that to grow to 400 by the end of the year as it continues to expand.

All existing drivers undergo quarterly driving licence checks, with permission processed via email, which requires little intervention from the system user other than adding the driver’s name and email address into DAVIS.

The system manages the entire permission process, emailing drivers directly until permission for a check to be carried out is gained by a digital driver declaration. As automation is central to DAVIS, drivers are auto-reminded until the declaration is complete, so busy managers aren’t required to continually chase and follow up. Once in place, the permission exists for three years, meaning rechecks can be carried out instantly without any intervention or delay.

Those drivers at high risk, based typically around the number of points on their licence, undergo Licence Check’s e-learning courses, which focus on four key areas of risk: driver attitude, hazard perception, observation and knowledge.