Disability Action – Supporting Independence for Motorists with Medical Conditions in Northern Ireland …
1 in 4 people in Northern Ireland lives with a disability.
For many, holding a driving licence is far more than a convenience: it is a passport to independence, enabling them to travel where and when they choose without relying on others. Yet before these motorists can take or re-take their place behind the wheel, many must first undergo a specialist driving assessment.
Disability Action delivers these assessments on behalf of both the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) and Motability.
During an on‑road drive, trained assessors are observing braking, steering, power control and reaction times to ensure that each driver can operate a vehicle safely.
Accommodating a range of needs – while customers are standing in line
Disability Action currently employs 6 driving assessors and maintains a fleet of 10 vehicles; each fitted with different adaptations to accommodate a wide range of disability needs. On top of this, there are as many as 52 distinct medical conditions that may need to be reported on, and the length of an assessment can vary according to the type of licence, equipment and condition involved. The logical challenge of delivering a quality service against this landscape can cause a major headache.
To compound matters, demand has soared: the centre handled roughly 200 phone enquiries per week in 2023, but that figure has since tripled to between 600 and 700 calls, leaving more than 850 customers waiting for an appointment.
Booking assessment services is a finely balanced puzzle
Assessment services are offered at 8 locations across Northern Ireland.
Yet with only a handful of assessors and a growing caseload, scheduling the right professional, the right adapted vehicle and the requisite time slot had become a finely balanced puzzle.
The need to optimise processes to reduce waiting times
Optimising the scheduling process was the main challenge facing Disability Action.
Streamlining booking protocols, expanding assessor capacity and accelerating vehicle turnaround could substantially reduce waiting times and help thousands of disabled drivers regain the independence that motoring uniquely affords.
Voyagerr’s booking software has provided efficient booking and easier administration work
To support the 8 centres in managing bookings of driving assessors, specialist vehicles, and locations – Disability Action decided investing in Voyagerr’s booking software.
The system works with real time data and has streamlined the booking and assessment process.
Angel Hutchison, Mobility Centre Manager, Disability Action Northern Ireland, describes the benefits of the system:
“Thanks to the new system, three team members can now carry out different tasks simultaneously, which significantly reduces time and improves efficiency.
We’re also now able to use Windows 10, and when generating letters, the system automatically compiles all the necessary information — eliminating the need for manual input.
Driving assessments and lessons can now be assigned to instructors in a single step, whereas previously this required multiple actions, using valuable time for administrators.
On the day of delivery, any scheduling conflicts—such as time or location clashes—are immediately visible and can be resolved straightaway, again saving time and unnecessary stress for the team in the office.
Recording lessons, tuition sessions, and information meetings was also proving problematic, and has now been hugely simplified, and no longer relies on the memory or notetaking of the team. Trying to predict or track instructor availability has always been a major problem, and critical, being such a scant resource, being able to view instructor availability in the field at any time has been transformational for the team.
We’re also seeing time savings through the automatic optimisation of bookings, driver assessors, and specialist vehicles.
And having a call log has proven to be extremely useful.
Success, for me, means no longer needing to rely on a paper diary to keep track of bookings and related notes.”
…
Photos from Disability Action’s website: https://www.disabilityaction.org/Pages/Category/driving
