M&D Care has overhauled its licence checking procedures with the introduction of a “transformative” fully automated process that’s helping cut its driving risk.

Automated licence checking is supporting M&D with legal compliance and from a duty of care perspective

The care specialist provides services throughout South West Wales to people with autism, learning disability, physical disability and mental health needs, operating 20 care homes across the region.

M&D runs a fleet of around 45 company-owned pool cars, typically kept at the care homes and with multiple drivers. It also has 45 grey fleet vehicles, which are generally owned and driven by community care staff.

With more than 300 recognised drivers across the business, accurate and timely licence checking is of paramount importance from a legal compliance and duty of care perspective, which led the business to turn to automated licence checking with an API from DriverCheck.

Harry Owen, operations project manager at M&D Care, said: “Before we appointed DriverCheck, we carried out all checks manually which was very time-consuming and labour-intensive. Now the whole process is fully automated and, through the API, we can automatically update our back-office systems as well as ensuring our records are continually up to date on the DriverCheck platform.”

The business is in the process of onboarding all drivers across the business, including any new starters. All routine updates are now carried out automatically, such as photocard renewal reminders, and Owen said DriverCheck had been “very accommodating” in the help with set-up.

The fully automated system gives the business greater reassurance that it’s legally compliant at all times and meeting its duty of care obligations.

Owen continued: “This dramatically reduces our risk of legal infringements under, for instance, the Corporate Manslaughter Act. We have been going through a digital transformation across our business and DriverCheck fits perfectly within that approach.

“The fact that their services are pay-as-you go, rather than requiring an upfront balloon payment like some other suppliers, was another factor in their favour,” he added.

DriverCheck’s head of operations, Yvette Giannini said going down a fully automated route made perfect sense from an accuracy and legal compliance perspective.

“The use of an embedded API in this way not only speeds up the onboarding of employees and the licence checking process as a whole, but it also ensures automatic updating in both the DriverCheck client portal and its Human Resource systems so that the chances of error, and the amount of admin time required, are dramatically reduced.”

DriverCheck is part of Ebbon Compliance along with Derby-based Licence Check; the businesses operate separately, with DriverCheck providing managed services including licence checking and grey fleet services, and Licence Check offering packaged risk and compliance solutions through its DAVIS platform.

DVLA data published by Ebbon Compliance indicates that it’s now the UK’s largest driving licence checking and vehicle compliance business, with a combined 1.6 million licence checks per annum.