BIN lorry crash driver Harry Clarke told his doctor he felt dizzy in 1976 - 38 years before he passed out behind the wheel of a bin lorry which killed six people.

A catalogue of almost 30 entries in his medical record, read aloud to a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI), heard he reported feeling dizzy on a number of occasions, as well as vertigo, anxiety, depression, lethargy, stress, and "vasovagal" or fainting.

In the first entry, 38 years before the tragedy, he told his doctor he felt "dizzy while bending".

The FAI, on its eighth day on Friday, was told that in 1989 he fainted while working as a driver for Tennant's Caledonian.

In 1994 he reported feeling dizzy with "pain in his chest and palpitations" and was referred to a specialist.

And in 2003, when he was the driver of an oil tanker, he told his doctor that he was suffering from "dizziness" and "dullness of hearing".

He was told to stop driving until he was seen at a follow up appointment.

In 2009, while working as a bus driver with First Bus, he was signed off with stress after telling his doctor he felt "irritable and anxious". 

The most recent episode detailed was 2010 when Mr Clarke is said to have passed out behind the wheel of a bus in Glasgow.

First Bus inspector John Stewart previously told the inquiry Mr Clarke reported "blacking out for a couple of minutes" in the stationary bus. 

But the medical records show Mr Clarke told his doctor that he had passed out in a warm canteen.

The medical records showed an entry from Mr Clarke's GP, Gerald McKaig, which stated that he reported loss of consciousness for "five seconds" in a "hot environment". 

He told the doctor paramedics attended and this was reported as vasovagal, which the doctor agreed with. 

Geraldine Ham, council HR manager, said she was not aware of any of the medical episodes as they were not disclosed by Mr Clarke when he started working with the local authority.

Dorothy Bain QC, who is representing the family of Jacqueline Morton, asked the council HR manager: "He should never have been employed by the council, should he?" 

She added: "He would never have been employed had he told the truth."

Ms Ham agreed. 

The inquiry was also shown a letter from a Dr Lyons, instructed by First Bus, who also saw Mr Clarke after the 2010 "black out". 

In the letter, the doctor stated that Mr Clarke had seen his GP who told him he "did not need to inform the DVLA".

Dr Lyons said, at this time, that Mr Clarke required further examination and he would ask for a medical report from his GP. 

A follow up letter states that the medical report had been received from Mr Clarke's GP who said he suffered a "simple faint" and that he was fit to return to work. 

Six people were killed when a bin lorry, driven by Mr Clarke, veered out of control in Queen Street when he lost consciousness. 

Erin McQuade, 18, her grandparents Jack Sweeney, 68, and his 69-year-old wife Lorraine, all from Dumbarton, died.

Stephenie Tait, 29, and Jacqueline Morton, 51, both from Glasgow, and Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh, were also killed.

All six died at the scene from multiple injuries.  

Glasgow Times:

The inquiry also heard yesterday that First Bus reported no issues with Mr Clarke when he left the company.

The FAI has previously heard that the driver was suspended by the company - for arriving at bus stops ahead of time - when he took up employment with the council. 

And he had also been given a previous written warning regarding absence - he was off for a total of 31 days in 2010 and 11 days the previous year, the inquiry heard. 

Mr Clarke handed in his notice to First Bus in December 2010 and began working with Glasgow City Council in January 2011, initially driving a mini bus for special needs children. 

Before he left First Bus, an "exit form" filled in by a transport manager, which was shown to the inquiry, shows that no attendance or disciplinary issues were noted.

Next to the fields "attendance", "early running", "disciplinary" and "customer complaints" it was marked "nil".

The manager had also written "yes" next to the question: "Suitable for reengagement?" 

The inquiry has heard that there is no reference from First Bus in Mr Clarke's council record.

A council email chain, read to the inquiry, says this was asked for.

But the reference is missing from his personnel file.

In another email Glasgow City Council bosses said they were "satisfied" they had obtained references. 

An email, read to the inquiry and dated March 25 2011, stated "we have now received all the reference reports from applicants". 

Below this is a list of names which includes Mr Clarke.  

The email, from a senior manager, adds: "I can confirm that I am satisfied with the content of all references." 

But HR manager Geraldine Ham said that she could not find a reference from First Bus about Mr Clarke, despite a search.  

Solicitor General Lesley Thomson QC asked her: "You have had difficulty finding this as far as Mr Clarke is concerned?" 

She replied: "It is not in his file." 

Ms Thomson said: "I hope they aren't held in anyone else's file given the efforts that you have gone to to try to find them for me." 

The inquiry continues.