A limited theory test and practical testing service will be introduced in England and Wales.
This will be available to:
- NHS health and social care workers
- The emergency services
- Local councils
Who need to both:
- Drive as part of their job
- Respond to ‘threats to life’ as part of their job
Because of the current COVID restrictions, DVSA cannot offer a mobile emergency worker test service in Scotland.
These tests will be carried out by examiners who have volunteered to continue to test during lockdown.
DVSA will be contacting these organisations directly to explain how they can access this service.
Teaching someone with a confirmed test booking
You can teach mobile emergency workers who have a confirmed test booking even if current local or national restrictions do not allow driving and riding tests.
You must not teach anyone who only has a routine driving test booked – even if they are an NHS health and social care worker, emergency service worker or local council worker. You must make sure that your pupil has the correct documentation as detailed below.
What you need during lessons
You must not take any pupils out unless you have both:
- A copy of your pupil’s emergency test booking confirmation email
- A copy of the application request from their employer
You can use these to prove you’re allowed to teach during current restrictions if you’re stopped by the police.
During lessons you must be sure to follow government guidance about working safely during coronavirus.
5 thoughts on “Limited test service for critical workers”
Great that we keep getting updates about critical worker tests but when will Dvsa have the process up & running?
We have many critical key workers who keep asking their line mangers in the NHS/local council about this scheme. They are desperate to be nominated/line mangers want to nominate them, but as yet no process has been communicated to the nhs/local councils etc
Thank you
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Hi
This is good news but as at present we do not know when the test centers are being opened for tests and how long we have to prepare our pupils for taking a test. Will it be possible that NHS staff or other emergency workers that have already got a test booked say in March, will they be able to still use that date as long as they can confirm this with the DVSA through their employer. We need all this information to be available and confirmed asap but as usual we get the solution before the actual ability to deliver, does this sound familiar.
Regards
John
Hi,
My comment and question is essentially the same as expressed by others. I too have critical worker pupils who have test bookings rescheduled by DVSA for mid to late March. Do these bookings count as ’emergency bookings’ or will DVSA need to be contacted to have the bookings converted to an emergency booking? When will DVSA be contacting the organisations to advise as to this arrangement because it would appear that at the moment they no nothing about it?
Many thanks!
Playing Russian Roulette with people’s lives in the middle of a pandemic is unacceptable! Whilst you are are safe at home or in your office you have just put Instructors lives in danger! This is reckless behaviour!