M&D Care automates licence checking with API from DriverCheck

Specialist care provider, M&D Care, has introduced fully automated licence checking for its drivers by implementing an embedded API solution from Glasgow-based DriverCheck, part of Ebbon Compliance, to help cut its driving risk.

Based in Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, M&D Care provides bespoke residential, supported living and domiciliary care services throughout South West Wales to people with autism, learning disability, physical disability and mental health needs.

The business operates 20 care homes across the region with a fleet of around 45 company -owned pool cars kept typically at the care homes and with multiple drivers, and 45 grey fleet vehicles which are generally owned and driven by community care staff.

There are over 300 recognised drivers across the business which makes accurate and timely licence checking of paramount importance from a legal compliance and duty of care perspective.

Harry Owen, Operations Project Manager at M&D Care, said the appointment of DriverCheck had been ‘transformative’ in the way the business now approached the issue of licence checking and risk management.

“Before we appointed DriverCheck, we carried out all checks manually which was very time-consuming and labour intensive. Now the whole process is fully automated and, through the API, we can automatically update our back-office systems as well as ensuring our records are continually up to date on the DriverCheck platform.

“We are in the process of onboarding all our drivers across the business, including any new starters as we are going through a recruitment phase. The system now ensures all routine updates are now carried out automatically, such as photocard renewal reminders, and DriverCheck has been very accommodating in the way it has been set up for us.”

Owen said that the fully automated system gave the business greater reassurance that they were legally compliant at all times and meeting their duty of care obligations.

“This dramatically reduces our risk of legal infringements under, for instance, the Corporate Manslaughter Act. We have been going through a digital transformation across our business and DriverCheck fits perfectly within that approach.

“The fact that their services are pay-as-you go rather than requiring an upfront balloon payment like some other suppliers, was another factor in their favour,” he said.

DriverCheck Head of Operations, Yvette Giannini, said that M&D Care was a complex business in terms of the approach they were looking to take, and going down a fully automated route made perfect sense from an accuracy and legal compliance perspective.

“The use of an embedded API in this way not only speeds up the onboarding of employees and the licence checking process as a whole, but it also ensures automatic updating in both the DriverCheck client portal and their Human Resource systems so that the chances of error, and the amount of admin time required, are dramatically reduced.

DriverCheck is part of Ebbon Compliance which, with Derby-based Licence Check, is now the UK’s largest driving licence checking and vehicle compliance business with a combined 1.6 million licence checks per annum.

Both businesses operate as stand-alone entities with separate teams and brands, with DriverCheck providing managed services including licence checking and grey fleet services, and Licence Check offering packaged risk and compliance solutions through its award-winning DAVIS platform.

DriverCheck currently has a 1,200-strong client base with a host of household names in the insurance, utilities and automotive sectors along with a strong representation amongst local authorities.

Companies within its customer portfolio include dealer group, Arnold Clark, aerospace, defence and security company, Babcock International, and air quality management and parking enforcement provider, Marston Holdings, amongst many others.