Some Australian Doctors see the problem with Driver Reporting

[Moriarty]

There is also The Sleep Health Foundation... Google it

According to their website they have proclaimed that "Sleep Awareness Week kicks off Monday, 29 September 2014 and finishes on Sunday, 5 October 2014 the day that clocks are put forward in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.

It is an annual community education and awareness campaign to promote the importance of sleep as a fundamental pillar of good health. The week begins one week before the change to daylight savings time when Australians will lose one hour of sleep."

Their board has four member appointed directors, two directors appointed by the Board of the Australasian Sleep Association (the peak professional body of Australian and New Zealand sleep clinicians and scientists) and three independent directors appointed by the Board itself.

[zonk]

There is also The Sleep Health Foundation... Google it

I have come across them before, good source of information
They get money donation from CPAP manufacturers and money speaks volume

[chelle1957]

my husband and I both have moderate-severe sleep apnoea. Our sleep specialist said we didn't have to report as with us using the machine, we don't have day time sleepiness, so it was no longer an issue for us. I think if you continue to have day time issues then you'd have to report it to the licensing dept.

[zonk]

my husband and I both have moderate-severe sleep apnoea. Our sleep specialist said we didn't have to report as with us using the machine, we don't have day time sleepiness, so it was no longer an issue for us. I think if you continue to have day time issues then you'd have to report it to the licensing dept.

Hi chelle1957

[Moriarty]

In Queensland a driver with diagnosed OSA that is under control through therapy must have their licence endorsed with the 'M' endorsement and carry a certificate from their treating doctor certifying that the driver is under effective treatment.

In a way I think it is a pointless exercise since the the drivers we need to be aware of are the _undiagnosed_ or those under ineffective treatment.

The blurb below makes it sound like it is all down to the driver to self report but there is a parallel requirement on the doctor to report a non-compliant driver.


The Queensland Drivers Licence requirements:

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Licensing/Medi...ments.aspx

"Medical requirements

As a Queensland driver licence holder, you are required to promptly tell the department of any long-term or permanent medical condition that is likely to adversely affect your ability to drive safely.

You must tell the department as soon as a condition develops or if there is a long-term increase to an existing condition. You cannot wait until you renew your licence.

When applying for a Queensland driver licence, you must tell the department of any medical condition that may adversely affect your ability to drive safely.

You may need a medical certificate confirming your fitness to drive. Your health professional may also recommend that your licence be subject to conditions.

Your health professional will refer to the private and commercial medical standards for driving in the Assessing Fitness to Drive publication. These standards are recognised by all Australian driver licensing authorities.

If you fail to report your condition, you may receive a A$6600 penalty and be disqualified from driving. "

Fitness to Drive Factsheet - recognised by all Australian States
http://www.austroads.com.au/images/stori...et_WEB.pdf

[me50]

In Queensland a driver with diagnosed OSA that is under control through therapy must have their licence endorsed with the 'M' endorsement and carry a certificate from their treating doctor certifying that the driver is under effective treatment.

In a way I think it is a pointless exercise since the the drivers we need to be aware of are the _undiagnosed_ or those under ineffective treatment.

The blurb below makes it sound like it is all down to the driver to self report but there is a parallel requirement on the doctor to report a non-compliant driver.


The Queensland Drivers Licence requirements:

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Licensing/Medi...ments.aspx

"Medical requirements

As a Queensland driver licence holder, you are required to promptly tell the department of any long-term or permanent medical condition that is likely to adversely affect your ability to drive safely.

You must tell the department as soon as a condition develops or if there is a long-term increase to an existing condition. You cannot wait until you renew your licence.

When applying for a Queensland driver licence, you must tell the department of any medical condition that may adversely affect your ability to drive safely.

You may need a medical certificate confirming your fitness to drive. Your health professional may also recommend that your licence be subject to conditions.

Your health professional will refer to the private and commercial medical standards for driving in the Assessing Fitness to Drive publication. These standards are recognised by all Australian driver licensing authorities.

If you fail to report your condition, you may receive a A$6600 penalty and be disqualified from driving. "

Fitness to Drive Factsheet - recognised by all Australian States
http://www.austroads.com.au/images/stori...et_WEB.pdf

is there such a regulation for those that are alcoholics? They are just as dangerous if not more so because they think they can drive better drunk and most of us with OSA know if it is not safe for us to drive and most of us either don't drive when it isn't safe or find alternative ways to get where we have to get. Just thinking out loud

[Gabby]

Moriarty, I live in Qld., I have been diagnosed but don't have my equipment as yet. According to what I have read here, once I get my gear I should notify Qld. Transport of my position or otherwise risk a $6,600.00 fine and of losing my licence? I vaguely knew about this in the back of my mind but kept pushing it away. Thank you for supplying this information. I will be sure to get on to it as soon as I am up and running.

[me50]

Moriarty, I live in Qld., I have been diagnosed but don't have my equipment as yet. According to what I have read here, once I get my gear I should notify Qld. Transport of my position or otherwise risk a $6,600.00 fine and of losing my licence? I vaguely knew about this in the back of my mind but kept pushing it away. Thank you for supplying this information. I will be sure to get on to it as soon as I am up and running.

I would have thought that they would have been more concerned about those that have been diagnosed and are not treated and those that are undiagnosed than someone that is diagnosed and being treated.

[zonk]

Moriarty, I live in Qld., I have been diagnosed but don't have my equipment as yet. According to what I have read here, once I get my gear I should notify Qld. Transport of my position or otherwise risk a $6,600.00 fine and of losing my licence?

Is it mandatory to report? I don,t know. They only know what we tell them or maybe the sleep doctor or sleep testing center obliged to report us but in any case would imagine they would let us know if any documentation is required

[Moriarty]

Moriarty, I live in Qld., I have been diagnosed but don't have my equipment as yet. According to what I have read here, once I get my gear I should notify Qld. Transport of my position or otherwise risk a $6,600.00 fine and of losing my licence? I vaguely knew about this in the back of my mind but kept pushing it away. Thank you for supplying this information. I will be sure to get on to it as soon as I am up and running.

Hi Gaby
The strict interpretation according to my GP is that you should report when you are diagnosed (usually at the sleep study follow-up) - In my case there was no delay between my consultation with the specialist and my acquisition of the equipment so I was under treatment by the time I went back to my GP.

If there is a period between diagnosis and start of therapy then it would be up to the doctor as to how he determines your fitness to drive. Since there are people with OSA who present for snoring or symptoms other than daytime fatigue or sleepiness it would be rational for the fitness to drive assessment to be based on the Epworth score that was probably determined by your GP as part of the decision to refer you for a sleep study.

My GP has told me that he has determined some drivers to be unfit to drive prior to their sleep study based on their Epworth score at the initial presentation - and not recommended a return to driving until a satisfactory pattern of therapy has been demonstrated.

The bottom line is that it is up to your doctors as to how the fitness to drive assessment is made - but if you have been diagnosed with OSA you doctor needs to tell you about the implications for your drivers licence.

The most common outcome (for the people with OSA that I know) is that your GP will give you a medical certificate that you take to the local Qld Transport office. The DOT then take your licence and give you a receipt to produce for traffic stop purposes until your new licence with the 'M' condition arrives in the mail. If you get a licence with an 'M' then you are obliged to carry the doctor's certificate to produce when requested by a policeman or other transport inspector.
(If you regularly need your licence for general ID then you may need to get a Qld 18+ card to cover you because the receipt is not counted as ID)

My first medical certificate was valid for 12 months - which was my appointment for specialist follow up in May last year - my second certificate is valid until May 2015 which is my next follow up appointment.

The nuisance is that while I have to follow up with a specialist it is not the specialist the writes the certificate - I have to go back to my GP who writes the certificate based on a letter from the specialist....
(all part of the medical money-go-round perhaps)