A Glasgow taxi driver was on the road for years despite a health check identifying symptoms that required follow-up, an inquiry found.
The council failed to follow up the results of an exercise tolerance test (ETT) which indicated that the driver met the threshold for referral to the DVLA for further consideration of their fitness to drive.
The driver had passed the medical examination but was unaware until their next assessment some years later that the ETT result was of concern.
An investigation by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) found that the driver had continued to work throughout this time.
The driver, who is not named in the report, complained about the way the council had handled their medical examination which they were required to attend to determine their fitness to DVLA Group 2 medical standards.
In most cases, the medical standards for Group 2 drivers are substantially higher than for Group 1 drivers because of the size and weight of the vehicle and the length of time an occupational driver typically spends at the wheel.
Glasgow City Council requires drivers of taxis and Private Hire Cars to be fit to the Group 2 Standards adopted by DVLA.
On recognising this oversight, the driver's taxi licence was suspended to be later re-instated after an assessment undertaken by an NHS cardiologist was reviewed by the council’s occupational health provider and they were considered fit for the road.
When the driver complained to the council, they were told that the matter would be investigated internally but no further action was taken, despite their requests for further updates.
The SPSO said: "We found that the council’s administration of C’s medical examination was unreasonable, noting that the ETT results had not been followed up on as they should have been, and that this oversight had not been noticed until C’s next medical examination some years later. Therefore, we upheld C’s complaint.
"We found failings with the council’s complaint handling, noting they had not fulfilled their duties in keeping with the Model Complaint Handling Procedure for local authorities. Therefore, we also upheld this complaint."
The council was told to apologise to the driver and was told to ensure the status of driver licences pending further medical tests are checked to ensure they remain valid.
A council spokeswoman said: “The council will consider the findings of the Ombudsman’s report in full.”
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