The campaign has been launched by the OSA Partnership Group, a collective set up to raise awareness of the condition. The Group has called on the Department of Health to issue guidance to Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), hospitals and GPs to expedite treatment of vocational drivers with OSAS to enable driving again within a maximum of four weeks following first referral.
OSAS is particularly common amongst middle-aged men, especially those who are overweight. Studies have shown that when a driver with untreated OSAS gets behind the wheel of a vehicle, they are between three and nine times more likely to have an accident and that this accident is likely to be of increased severity.
“In my experience vocational drivers are often the safest on our roads but those with OSAS have no control over their sleepiness,” commented Professor John Stradling, a member of the OSA Partnership Group and author of the campaign paper. “We also know that these drivers are reluctant to come forward with symptoms of OSAS for fear of losing their licence, and therefore their livelihood.
“Through the collaborative work our Group has undertaken with the transport industry, we believe that by expediting treatment, we can reduce this fear and therefore encourage drivers to get the treatment that will allow them to drive safely (and considerably benefit their quality of life).”
The most usual treatment for OSAS is Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP). In 2008 NICE carried out a technology appraisal that said that CPAP should be available to all who required it but it did not give a timescale for supply, and as a result this varies widely across the UK from a few weeks to several months. The charity claims that uncertainty as to how soon they will be treated stops many drivers coming forward.
RAC Business, which has recently joined the OSA Partnership Group, also recognises the significance of the campaign.
Jenny Powley, RAC Business Corporate Sales Director, said: “This is an incredibly important initiative as OSAS is a condition which has no respect for the great skill and experience of the drivers it can affect. Although we know an average HGV driver completes many miles every year without incident, if they do have an accident it can often be much more damaging than a smaller vehicle such as a car, due its size and bulk.
“In the long term business as a whole will benefit as drivers who suspect they may be suffering from OSAS will be able to get the treatment they need and be back on the road much more quickly, which is a better outcome for the business owner, fleet manager and everyone concerned.”
A copy of the campaign paper can be located at: http://sleep-apnoea-trust.org/four-week-wait-campaign.htm.
What is obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)?
OSA is a condition that affects breathing while you are sleeping, due to partial or total closure of the airway behind the tongue. This:
- Disrupts your normal breathing pattern
- Causes your body to briefly wake up to restore normal breathing
- May prevent you from enjoying a good night’s rest
- Is nearly always accompanied by loud snoring
OSAS is a more severe form of OSA where there is evidence of both a disruption of normal breathing patterns during sleep, and symptoms such as excessive sleepiness in the daytime. OSAS occurs in approximately a quarter of those with OSA.