Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T05:59:35.106Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Psychiatric illness, medication and driving: an audit of documentation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2015

A. Gallagher ,
S. Shah ,
W. Abassi  and
E. Walsh
A. Gallagher*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Galway University Hospital, Galway, Ireland
S. Shah
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Mayo General Hospital, Mayo, Ireland
W. Abassi
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Mayo General Hospital, Mayo, Ireland
E. Walsh
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Mayo General Hospital, Mayo, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr A. Gallagher, Department of Psychiatry, Galway University Hospital, Newcastle Road, Galway, Ireland. (Email: [email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives

Guidelines on advising patients on fitness to drive have been published recently by the Road Safety Authority in collaboration with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. The aim of this audit is to assess if the new guidelines are being adhered to.

Method

Examination of the documentation and adherence to the guidelines in the inpatient psychiatric unit, Mayo General Hospital.

Results

Of the 100 patients included in audit cycle one, none had any specific documentation about driving. One patient was admitted with alcohol misuse and was driving. On re-auditing, following presentation at academic meeting and education of team members on the guidelines, there was a minor improvement of 7%.

Conclusion

There was no significant difference in documentation on re-audit. However, an increase of 7% is nonetheless encouraging. Information concerning driving should be a standard part of advice given to all psychiatric patients.

Keywords

Mental IllnessPsychiatryDriving
Type
Audit
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 33 , Issue 3 , September 2016 , pp. 171 - 174
Copyright
© College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baker, P, Rogers, T (2005). Audit of clinicians’ approach to patients’ driving status in a dementia day hospital setting. The Psychiatrist 29, 372–373.Google Scholar
Curwen, J, Jebreel, A (2012). Advice on driving while under the care of a crisis resolution team: findings from two audits. Psychiatric Bulletin 36, 424–426.Google Scholar
Elwood, P (1998). Driving, mental illness and the role of the psychiatrist. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine 15, 49–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
General Medical Council (2009). Confidentiality: Reporting Concerns about Patients to the DVLA or the DVA (Supplementary Guidance) (www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/confidentiality_guidance.asp). Accessed February 19, 2013.Google Scholar
Humphreys, S, Roy, L (1995). Driving and psychiatric illness. Psychiatric Bulletin of the Royal College of Psychiatrists 19, 747–749.Google Scholar
Langan, C (2009). Psychiatric illness and driving: Irish psychiatrists’ documentation practices. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine 26, 16–19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Menard, I, Korner-Bitensky, N, Dobbs, B, Casacalenda, N, Beck, PR, Dippsych, CM, Gelinas, I, Molnar, FJ, Naglie, G (2006). Canadian psychiatrists’ current attitudes, practices, and knowledge regarding fitness to drive in individuals with mental illness: a cross-Canada survey. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 51, 836–846.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morgan, JF (2000). Medical restrictions to driving: the awareness of patients and doctors. Postgraduate Medical Journal 76, 318–320.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Omer, S, Dolan, C, Dimitrov, BD, Langan, C, Mccarthy, G (2013). General practitioners’ opinions and attitudes towards medical assessment of fitness to drive in older adults. Australasian Journal on Ageing 33, 33–36.Google Scholar
Orr, EM, Elworthy, TS (2008). Audit on advice on driving following hospitalisation for an acute psychotic episode. Psychiatric Bulletin of the Royal College of Psychiatrists 32, 106–107.Google Scholar
Pretorius, W, Khurmi, S (2013). Red light – don’t drive. The Psychiatrist 37, 74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Redelmeier, DA, Yarnell, CJ, Thiruchelvam, D, Tibshirani, RJ (2012). Physicians’ warnings for unfit drivers and the risk of trauma from road crashes. New England Journal of Medicine 27, 1228–1236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Road Safety Authority Strategy (2013). www.rsa.ie, Accessed February 18, 2013.Google Scholar
Rowe, R, Owen, A (2001). Advice given to psychiatric inpatients concerning driving a completed audit cycle. The Psychiatrist 25, 400–401.Google Scholar
Slainte agus Tiomaint (2013). Medical fitness to drive guidelines (Group 1 drivers) (www.rsa.ie). Accessed 20 February 2013.Google Scholar
Thompson, P, Nelson, D (1996). DVLA regulations concerning driving and psychiatric disorders. Knowledge and attitudes of psychiatrists. Psychiatric Bulletin of the Royal College of Psychiatrists 20, 323–325.Google Scholar
Wise, J, Watson, JP (2001). Postal survey of psychiatrists’ knowledge and attitudes towards driving and mental illness. Psychiatric Bulletin of the Royal College of Psychiatrists 25, 345–349.Google Scholar