Drive Ability North West

14/11/2025

It’s World Diabetes Day! 🩵 🌍

Diabetes is a condition where the body doesn’t produce enough of the hormone insulin, which leads to high blood sugar. A side effect of diabetes management can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). Symptoms of hypoglycaemia include sudden confusion, blurred vision, shaking and potentially loss of consciousness. This can affect driving safety❌

Diabetes complications including diabetic retinopathy (eye condition) 👁️ and peripheral neuropathy (pain, numbness and weakness in the hands and feet)🦶 🖐️ can also affect driving safety.

Top tips for maintaining safe driving with diabetes:

✅ Check your blood sugar before driving.
✅ Regularly monitor blood sugar levels on long journeys.
✅ Keep emergency supplies handy.
✅ Recognise symptoms to ensure quick, safe treatment.
✅ Inform the DVLA if you take any insulin or medication to control your diabetes.
✅ Have regular medical check ups and eyesight tests.
✅ Consider a driving assessment if you are concerned about diabetes related complications affecting your physical ability to drive safely.

If you or someone you know has any diabetes related driving concerns, contact Drive Ability North West on 0300 300 1100 📞

Post credit to our OT student, Izzy!

13/11/2025

Feel older age may be affecting your driving? 🚗

We can help you drive safely, maintaining your independence as a driver or passenger 💙

For free driving support and assessment:

📲 0300 300 1100
💻 www.bridgewater.nhs.uk/drive

11/11/2025

Remembrance Day ❤️

“At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them”.

09/11/2025

Lest we forget ❤️

Today we wear our poppies and remember those who fought and sacrificed for our freedom.

07/11/2025

Farewell and congratulations to our student, Izzy! 😊📚👋🏼

Izzy has recently started her 2nd year studying Occupational Therapy and has just completed her 6-week placement with us. 🥳 She has been a great addition to the team and will be missed! Thank you for your help and hard work Izzy🤩

Parting words from Izzy🗣️“I have loved this placement and will really miss being a part of the team. I have watched myself develop through all of the learning opportunities that have been given to me and I am so grateful that I have had so much support from everyone. Thank you for everything!” 🫶🏼

Good luck with the rest of your studies and OT life Izzy!!🍀🏥

06/11/2025

Today we had a good catch up with our colleagues over at RDAC in Manchester for the North West Regional Meeting. 😀 Thanks for hosting! 🥳

Rob Heard MBE (Road Safety and Older Drivers Consultant) also attended via Teams and provided an interesting update on current road safety initiatives. Thank you Rob! 🙌🏼

04/11/2025

This week we are supporting a very important campaign…

🚨 Is Your Vision roadworthy❓‼️ - UK Vision and Driving Campaign 2025 🚦 👁️

Did you know❓🤔

🫵 It is your legal responsibility to ensure your eyesight meets the minimum standards for driving

👀 90% of the information needed for safe driving is visual

🚘 It is recommended that all drivers have regular eye tests (at least every two years)

Please ensure that your vision meets the standards for the safety of yourself and others‼️ 🙏

✅ Visual Acuity- 6/12
✅ Number plate test- 20 metres (with glasses if needed)
✅ Visual fields- horizontal field of at least 120 degrees

Check out this Government link for more information about visual standards and driving:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67b5ae883e77ca8b737d3879/INF188x1-the-legal-eyesight-standard-for-driving.pdf

31/10/2025

🎃👻🎃 Happy Halloween from everyone here at Drive Ability North West 🎃👻🎃

🧟‍♀️We hope you have a spooktacular weekend 🧟‍♂️

29/10/2025

🧠 Today is World Stroke Day! 🧠

The World Stroke Day Campaign works to improve public awareness and understanding of stroke, with a “focus on stroke prevention, symptom awareness and the needs of stroke survivors.” 🩺

A stroke is a medical emergency‼️ 🚨
The acronym identifies early warning signs of a stroke and prompts fast action for a suspected stroke:

😓 Face drooping
💪 Arm weakness
💬 Speech difficulties
📞 Time to call 999

After a stroke, drivers must stop driving for a month (at the minimum), and driving assessment centres play a crucial role in assessing if and when it is safe to return to driving. 🚗

The assessment evaluates physical 💪🏼 , cognitive 🧠 and visual 👁️ abilities, to ensure a person can safely handle the demands of driving, such as attention, decision making skills, and fatigue management ✅

If needed, we can also provide specialised driving adaptations to individuals who would benefit from them. 🚘

If you or someone you know has had a stroke and needs a driving assessment, please contact Drive Ability North West on 0300 300 1100 📞

Credit to our OT Student, Izzy for the post and photo design 👏🏼

27/10/2025

🥳 Happy World Occupational Therapy Day! 🥳

Here are our friendly Occupational Therapy (OT) team! 👋🏼 💚They are representing the variety of assessments that we offer here at Drive Ability North West to support with maintaining and improving vehicle related independence and safety! 🤩

Thank you to all the OTs out there who play a pivotal role in helping people to participate in meaningful activities such as driving or travelling safely in a vehicle. 🚘 👏🏼

We offer advice and assessment for vehicle equipment and adaptations in the following areas:

✅ Mobility scooters
✅ Wheelchair/ scooter loading
✅ Passenger or driver access
✅ Driving adaptations
✅ Children’s car seats

Get in touch for more info! 📞🧑‍💻

26/10/2025

❓Recently had a stroke and wondering about returning to driving?

Our experienced, friendly team can help 😀

📱 Contact us on 0300 300 1100 or visit our website below to find out more;

🛜 https://bridgewater.nhs.uk/drive-ability-north-west/

🚗 Returning to Driving: The Assessment & Referral Process 🩺
After a stroke, many people want to know when — or if — they can drive again. A driving assessment provides expert, evidence-based guidance to help make that decision safely and confidently. 💙

Referrals to mobility centres can be made in several ways:
👉 Self-referral – individuals can contact their nearest centre directly
👩‍⚕️ Professional referral – from GPs, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, or other healthcare providers
🏛️ Organisational referral – from the DVLA, NHS services, or Motability

Assessment fees vary depending on the referral route:
🔹 Private referrals usually incur a fee (which differs by region)
🔹 DVLA or Motability referrals are typically free of charge
🔹 Some NHS referrals may also be provided at no cost

Find your nearest centre here 👉 https://vist.ly/4brvr

25/10/2025

Supporting Safe and Independent Driving After Stroke 🚗💙

Over the next week, we’re recognising World Stroke Day (October 29) — raising awareness of stroke recovery and how safe driving can still be possible with the right support.

People who have experienced strokes make up a significant portion of the clients we help across our network of independent mobility centres. Yet, there are still many others who never access this support. Some believe that driving after a stroke is no longer possible, unaware that clinical assessments and vehicle adaptations can help them safely return to the road. Others may worry about the cost of an assessment, but there are funding solutions such as the Motability Scheme and the Driving Assessment Grant (DAG) that can help cover or reduce costs.

Every stroke is different, and recovery looks different for everyone. With expert advice, assessment, and the right adaptations, many people can return to safe, independent driving — regaining both confidence and independence. 💪

Follow us this week as we share information about:
✅ Legal requirements
✅ Medical considerations
✅ Vehicle adaptations
✅ Family and professional support

Scott from Hertfordshire suffered a stroke and regained driving independence through expert assessment and guidance from Herts Ability. Read his story here:
https://vist.ly/4bftb