Logistics UK partnership to improve access to driver medicals

Logistics UK has announced a partnership with D4Drivers to offer its members easier access to driver medicals and improve overall health and wellbeing across the logistics industry.  

Logistics UK members will receive discounted access to two new services delivered by D4Drivers: Logistics UK Health and Wellbeing, which will enable businesses to give access to medicals for all their drivers; and Logistics UK Driver Medical, aimed at individual driver members.   

Al Richardson, Logistics UK’s head of membership and affinities, said: “This partnership comes at a crucial time for industry, which is currently facing multiple challenges such as the driver shortage, Brexit and Covid-19 recovery, and a lack of access to driver medicals is preventing licence renewals for many qualified drivers.

“It is vital the health and wellbeing of industry workers remains a top priority and our partnership with D4Drivers aims to achieve just that.” 

The new Logistics UK business membership aims to allow companies to centralise and streamline their process for arranging drivers’ medicals and, with 85 centres across the country, it aims to give improved access to appointments while ensuring drivers still receive a thorough assessment from an experienced doctor.  

Businesses will also have access to regular driver screenings for all driver staff, including HGV drivers, van drivers or company car drivers, says Logistics UK.

These are vital to identify health conditions and ensure drivers continue to meet the medical standards for safe driving. Other inclusions are Covid PCR tests, regular staff health checks and forklift operator medicals.  

The Logistics UK Driver Medical service will also allow individual driver members access to discounted D4Driver medicals, forklift medicals and Covid PCR testing. These are key for drivers who are increasingly turning to specialist private providers to avoid long waits as NHS practices face growing strain.  

Tom Blain, commercial manager at D4Drivers, said: “These are particularly difficult times for everyone working in the freight industry and this is leading to increasing problems with health and wellbeing.

“The new service we are offering in partnership with Logistics UK will hopefully raise awareness of these issues and provide easier to access solutions which will keep not just lorry drivers but all those working in the industry healthy and in work, which in turn will keep our logistics industry moving.”