Fitness to drive and the general practitioner.

This study investigates general practitioners' (GPs') knowledge and opinions on fitness to drive after stroke. Questionnaires were sent to 650 GPs. Despite a low response rate (24%) results suggest that most GPs rarely see stroke patients regarding driving fitness. There appears to be some confusion over terms used in the handbook issued to medical practitioners. Only a quarter of GPs knew of any driving assessment facilities and very few had ever referred a patient to a clinical psychologist for cognitive assessment. Almost all responding GPs (98%) wanted the opportunity to refer patients for assessment based on research findings. The current approach to assessment of driving fitness after stroke appears inconsistent. It is hoped that new assessment methods being developed will help to improve on the present system.