Apologies for the intrusion but there is a way around the DPA in the UK and the railway industry uses it. If a driver is leaving one company for another he is sent an ATOC B1 form by the prospective employer. This contains a series of questions about qualifications, last assessments, present certification and details of any safety critical incidents amongst other questions. This form is filled in by you, signed and sent back. The new employer then sends it to your current employer and they merely confirm or state they are unable to confirm your answers. The form then becomes part of your new companies file on you, there is also a legal requirement for your current employer to answer only with reference to their file on you. Seems to work very well and has no mention of sickness, punctuality or any HR matters only professional qualifications and safety critical information.