Right, let's nail down these medical tiers. Choosing the right one keeps your drivers compliant without overcomplicating things.
Tier A: D4 Certificate Tracker Only
Think of Tier A as your basic, no-frills option. It's just a D4 certificate tracker – perfect if you're a smaller operation with just a couple of trucks and simply need to log the issue and expiry dates of each driver's D4 medical and who signed it off. No questionnaires, no driver emails, no clinical data stored. Simple, effective, and gets the job done for the essentials.
Tier B: D4 Plus 7-Question Annual Self-Declaration
Now, Tier B is where most operators land, and for good reason. It builds on Tier A by adding an annual 7-question self-declaration. Your drivers get a private link via email and take about three minutes to answer straightforward yes/no questions covering things like medication changes, eyesight changes, sleep, recent illness, or GP advice. Heads up — if they tick 'no' to everything, the system automatically marks them as fit. If anything's flagged, it goes straight to your designated medical reviewer for triage. Smart, right?
Tier C: D4 Plus Full DVLA Group 2 Questionnaire
Then there's Tier C – the most comprehensive. This one includes the D4 and a full structured DVLA Group 2 questionnaire across eight categories, complete with conditional follow-ups. The first year takes about ten minutes for the driver, but subsequent years are a breeze – under a minute, as the form pre-fills previous answers and just asks 'has this changed?'. This is the one auditors love to see for robust due diligence. Crucially, every single submission here is routed to a medical reviewer for sign-off; there's no auto-pass with Tier C.
Quick one — you're not locked in. You can change tiers anytime, and don't worry, all your existing records are preserved if you downgrade. Most operators find Tier B hits the sweet spot between compliance and efficiency. Only jump to Tier C if you've got an occupational health colleague or contractor on hand to handle the clinical detail.
With DDIR, staying on top of driver medicals is straightforward and keeps you compliant without breaking a sweat.