North East Drive Mobility – Information Leaflet

This leaflet tells you about North East Drive Mobility. If you are not sure about anything, please ask a member of staff.

We help people stay or become independent as drivers and passengers. We assess and advise if a health problem affects how you drive or travel.

We also give advice to drivers and passengers on:

• Getting in and out of a vehicle
• Changes you can make to a vehicle
• Driving lessons, if you need them after your assessment

We offer powered wheelchair and mobility scooter assessments at our Newcastle centre.

Our main centre is at Walkergate Park in Newcastle. We also have two other centres:

• Cumbria Drive Mobility – Pacific House, Carlisle
• Tees Valley Drive Mobility – Phoenix House, Stockton

Contact our Newcastle centre for all enquiries. Details are in the contact details section.

Anyone who drives or wants to learn to drive. This includes people with a full or provisional (learner’s) licence.

We also help anyone with mobility problems to travel safely as a passenger.

We check how well you drive. This may include:

• Driving on our private track (Newcastle)
• Driving on quiet roads (Carlisle and Stockton)
• Driving on public roads in different traffic conditions (all centres)

We help passengers who have trouble moving around. We give advice on:

• Getting in and out of a vehicle
• Travelling safely, such as in a wheelchair
• Loading and storing items like wheelchairs

Our Newcastle centre helps you find the right powered wheelchair or scooter.

We will talk with you about what you need and where to buy it.

We offer driving lessons if:

• You need a new method of control
• You need refresher lessons
  due to not driving for a while

Lessons can start from your home or your nearest centre. A qualified driving adviser will teach you. There is a fee to pay.

We give advice on car safety seating for children with health conditions.

Before your visit, we will call you to learn about your child’s needs.

Our travel advice service is free.

We can help you find out what
travel choices are open to you.

This includes:

• Advice on options other than driving
• Help using public transport
• Advice on transport that suits your needs
• Help to build your confidence when travelling

No, assessments are free. If the police or a case manager referred you, you may need to pay.

We know you may feel worried. Our experienced staff are supportive and will help you feel at ease.

You will meet a mobility clinician and a driving adviser. You can ask them any questions you have.

They will look at:

• Your medical fitness to drive
• Your vision
• How aware you are of your surroundings
• Your reactions and choices while driving
• How you use the vehicle controls

We will assess your driving on our driving track or quiet roads. If needed, on public roads in different kinds of road and traffic situations.

Our vehicles have different adaptations to suit your needs. They all have dual controls and are fully insured for assessments.

After the assessment, the team will talk through their advice with you. We will do all we can to help you keep driving. But sometimes, for road safety, we may advise you to stop driving.

The team will discuss their advice with you on the day. They will also send you a written report.

In some cases, they may ask you to come back for a follow-up assessment. This may be after driving lessons using new ways of driving. Or if there are changes in your health condition.

Get in touch with us directly yourself. Referrals can also come from:

• Your doctor or therapist
• Motability
• DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency)

If the DVLA referred you, we will tell you our advice on the day. A written report will go to the DVLA medical adviser. The DVLA will then contact you about your driving licence.

Find out more on our website www.drivingmobility.org.uk

To find out what information the Trust holds about you: www.cntw.nhs.uk/foi

Website: www.hubsmobilityadvice.com
Telephone: 0191 287 5090

You can also contact Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 or visit www.traveline.info

Please contact our main centre:

North East Drive Mobility
Walkergate Park
Centre for Neuro-rehabilitation and Neuro-psychiatry
Benfield Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 4QD

Telephone 0191 287 5090
Email [email protected]

For information on our Independent Travel Advice Service, contact the regional co-ordinator on 0191 287 5090 or email [email protected].

Website: www.cntw.nhs.uk/mobility

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

• talk to the people directly involved in your care
• ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website
• telephone the Complaints Department on 0191 245 6672
• email [email protected]

We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention. You can provide feedback in the following ways:

• the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourvoice
• complete a Your Voice survey, available on wards, reception areas or from staff
• other options for sharing your feedback and experience www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourfeedback

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns that you may have about any aspect of your or your loved ones care.

We act independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and, where appropriate, relevant organisations, to negotiate prompt solutions. If necessary, we can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.

North of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 032 0202
Email: [email protected]
Post: FREEPOST PALS

South of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 328 4397
Text: 07825 061 035
Email: [email protected]
Post: Patient Advice and Liaison Service, Garden Lodge, Hopewood Park, Ryhope, Sunderland, SR2 0NB

9am to 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday

An answerphone is always available for you to leave a message. A member of the PALS team will aim to return your call as soon as possible.

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please telephone the Patient Information Centre on 0191 246 7288

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2026 Copyright: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Ref: PIC/458/0526 May 2026 V14
Review date 2029

Website www.cntw.nhs.uk