The DVLA, the UK’s driver licensing body, is proposing to outsource 20 medical adviser jobs in Swansea.

The doctors whose positions may be outsourced, work to decide whether drivers with certain medical conditions are fit to hold a licence. The medical advisers are supported by a team of 300, but there is no indication that any of these positions will also be outsourced.

The news is causing worry in Wales with the British Medical Association Cymru and the Liberal Democrats expressing concern over road safety and the security of further jobs at the DVLA.

Dr Richard Lewis, the BMA’s Welsh secretary, commented: “I am extremely concerned that the DVLA are proposing to outsource the service currently provided in Swansea by 20 medical advisers which could lead to the loss of these jobs from the area, and can only be construed as a clear step towards privatisation of the service."

In reply, a DVLA spokesperson was noncommittal: “We are considering how the DVLA’s professional medical advisory function can be best provided to meet growing demand and ensure that appropriate medical expertise is available when needed.