Consultant endocrinologist Dr Shan Jiang has offered advice to GPs regarding safe practices when it comes to driving and diabetes.
Dr Jiang said medicals for driver’s licences should be completed by GPs in much the same way as the requirements for someone who has coronary disease or epilepsy.
“This is a legal document and should be completed by a doctor who has an ongoing therapeutic relationship with the patient and has done all the assessments including comprehensive reviews of the patient’s history and medication as well as an examination,” Dr Jiang said.
A GP who has been trained in the procedure can do all private licence medicals.
Endocrinologists only need to undertake licence medicals for diabetes or two scenarios: a commercial driver’s licence, or if the patient has poor glycaemic control such as too many hypers or hypos, or end stage complications which would compromise driving.
Commercial drivers should see a private endocrinologist at least once a year for licence renewal.
In the case of poor glycaemic control, if a GP does not feel comfortable providing driving clearance, they can instead give a temporary licence to see if their patient improves without compromising their ability to drive. However, if there are real safety concerns a licence medical should not be done, and these patients should see an endocrinologist for ongoing care.
Dr Jiang said the best way to avoid all these issues was to tell your patient from the start what their legal requirement was to keep their licence in the context of having a medical condition like diabetes which could compromise their driving.
“If a GP feels the patient’s driving ability is compromised, they should not complete the licence medical, and should advise the patient not to drive,” she said.
“The GP does not need to inform Services NSW of this themselves. However, if despite the advice, the patient continues to drive, and their doctor feels this is a significant risk, they can then inform Services NSW. They also need to let their patients know they have taken this step.”
Want to know more? Here are some useful links.
Austroad medical standards for licensing
National Diabetes Services Scheme
NSW Government – driving with a medical condition
This article appeared in Practice Pulse on Wednesday, 12 November 2025. If you are a GP, practice nurse or practice manager in South Western Sydney and do not get the weekly Practice Pulse email, speak to your Practice Support Officer.
