TAXI LICENSE REVOKED

[1974darrenh]

I am type 1 diabetic and have been for over 14 years. I have been a taxi driver for over 18 years.

I have to have a routine medical by my council for my taxi license once a year. My local council currently use the Group 2 DVLA standards.

I have extremely good glucose control which has also confirmed by my nurse and Consultant



This years taxi medical which took place on 5th October 2015 did not go very well, as I admitted (VOLUNTARILY) that I had an hypoglycemic episode (IN MY SLEEP) some 8 weeks before.

My girlfriend was with me and was frightened because this was the first time she had seen me have a hypo, she panicked and over reacted and called paramedics. The paramedics came and assessed me and found I was ok and did not need to go to hospital. I told the doctor doing my taxi medical this, but he has advised the council that I am UNFIT to drive as I don't meet Group 2 standards, therefore my license has been revoked.

I believe this is a very wrong decision as I did not need 3rd party help.

The DVLA group 2 standard says "no episode of hypoglycaemia requiring the assistance of another person has occurred in the preceding 12 months"

Do you think the doctor has made the right decision. Considering I WAS ASLEEP IN BED. NOT DRIVING. GIRLFRIEND PANICKED. PARAMEDICS DID NOT NEED TO TREAT ME.


The letter that the medical doctor sent to the council taxi department -

The above attended for a routine Taxi Drivers’ Medical at the Municipal Offices in Kettering on 5 October 2015.

Mr ******* does have an underlying medical condition and he had experienced an episode of incapacity requiring the assistance of a third party approximately eight weeks prior to my assessment.

Following my assessment and, noting the specific guidance within the DVLA At a Glance document, Mr ******* is currently unfit to drive based on the DVLA Group 2 Entitlement Standard.

I am requesting an early assessment and report from his treating specialist and he has been made aware that he will be responsible for payment of any fee incurred.

A copy of this report will be sent to Mr ******* in accordance with our obligations under the GMC guidance on confidentiality.

If you require any clarification regarding the contents of this report please do not hesitate to contact me

Yours sincerely"



I am now unemployed after working 18 years continuous as a driver

 

[Emmadixon]

Hi Darren is there an opportunity to appeal the decision and get a second opinion? Has that been the only hypo you have suffered from for a while and have there been any since? What is your hypo awareness like usually? Sorry for all the questions x

 

[tim2000s]

There is an issue in that night time hypos requiring assistance do count against you on the DVLA scale, so that's unfortunately not a helpful argument - there was another poster on here who had issues with that. Night-time hypos really shouldn't be included in this criteria.

The question is whether you woke up and treated the hypo yourself? If you had to be woken, then the council is within their rights (according to the rules) to say that you were assisted, however dumb the argument might seem.

 

[1974darrenh]

Hi Darren is there an opportunity to appeal the decision and get a second opinion? Has that been the only hypo you have suffered from for a while and have there been any since? What is your hypo awareness like usually? Sorry for all the questions x

Hi.

This has only just happened so don't know about appealing etc.

Hypo awareness is very very good normally and there has been no more since.

 

[DeejayR]

Very sorry to hear this and hope you can fight your way out of it. Do you belong to any association or professional group or are you a loner? Good idea to find support wherever you can. Citizens' Advice? Your MP? Sad story in the local paper? (Or not if you prefer to be a private person, but what have you got to lose if your livelihood is already threatened?)
Unfortunately @tim2000s sums up the case against you, but because it's the law doesn't necessarily mean it's right, or that you shouldn't challenge it.
And to think people who are really sick are being classified as fit to work and having their benefits reduced or stopped!
Best of luck.

 

[Dillinger]

You had a hypo and received the help of another person, the question is whether you needed help from another person not whether you received it.

If you were treating your hypo when the paramedics came then you arguably didn't need their help. If you were taking care of it why did your girlfriend call the paramedics?

Is it possible to get a copy of the paramedics report on this to see if they said anything useful for you like 'patient was reported as hypoglycaemic but had treated themselves by the time we arrived' that sort of thing would work I think; and you can't get 'more' banned so there is no downside.

 

[1974darrenh]

I did not need assistance as I was half asleep and half awake. I was drinking Lucozade when the paramedics arrived.

I did not need help from a 3rd party. My girlfriend just panicked when she see me sweating and shaking.

 

[noblehead]

I did not need assistance as I was half asleep and half awake. I was drinking Lucozade when the paramedics arrived.

I did not need help from a 3rd party. My girlfriend just panicked when she see me sweating and shaking.

Wonder if a written statement by your girlfriend would help support your case.

 

[1974darrenh]

Funny you should say that.

Only 2 minutes ago she said the same thing to me

 

[novorapidboi26]

that is unfortunate..........just find out all you can do to get it back quicker.......you will get it back eventually though.......

no. 1 rule, never even mention the word hypo with anything DVLA, unless of course you have had one or more that needed third party assistance....even then, think hard about it.....

 

[noblehead]

Not saying it will work @1974darrenh but it should help to support your case, also you might want to ask the Citizens Advice if this is something that they could help you with, Diabetes UK also have a Advocacy Support Service that might be able to assist.

 

[CarbsRok]

Have you the report from the ambulance crew? If not your GP should have a copy for you.This will prove your case. Hope things work out for you.

Just seen Dillinger's comments regarding the report.

 

[catfan]

DVLA medical rules are very tough for HGV & PSV licence holders. If your local council are following those same rules then I think your licence will be revoked for one year, subject to no other "Hypo's".

I wish you well with this.

 

[CarbsRok]

DVLA medical rules are very tough for HGV & PSV licence holders. If your local council are following those same rules then I think your licence will be revoked for one year, subject to no other "Hypo's".

I wish you well with this.

Are you sure about this as OP didn't need assistance with the hypo?

 

[catfan]

It's all here.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-for-drivers-with-diabetes

FWIW, I think taxi drivers should be subject to the same rules as any other professional driver too.

 

[mfactor]

as I admitted (VOLUNTARILY) that I had an hypoglycemic episode (IN MY SLEEP) some 8 weeks before.

Hi, have you have others and how long ago/how often are they all night time etc etc..........................


I am also a Driver (PCV) and recently took the hard decision to stop driving, as I was having Hypers which while not as bad as Hypos still made me feel I was unfit to drive..................(confusion , feely wooly headed etc).......




I had to take a long hard look in the mirror and think "what if a caused an accident"... so gave up driving..........





FWIW I think you did the right thing to admit to the doc that you had one....................

 

[Prem51]

Well done @mfactor for doing the responsible thing.

@1974darrenh I'm sorry to hear you will no longer be able to drive for your livelihood, for the time being anyway.
But after that Glasgow incident where several people were killed when the refuse lorry driver blacked out I would think Councils are going to be cautious.

 

[catfan]

Like mfactor I voluntarily surrendered my vocational licences last year due to on going health concerns. Coronary issues sadly. After 41 years a bus & lorry driver.

 

[spaceman]

I am type 1 diabetic and have been for over 14 years. I have been a taxi driver for over 18 years.

I have to have a routine medical by my council for my taxi license once a year. My local council currently use the Group 2 DVLA standards.

I have extremely good glucose control which has also confirmed by my nurse and Consultant



This years taxi medical which took place on 5th October 2015 did not go very well, as I admitted (VOLUNTARILY) that I had an hypoglycemic episode (IN MY SLEEP) some 8 weeks before.

My girlfriend was with me and was frightened because this was the first time she had seen me have a hypo, she panicked and over reacted and called paramedics. The paramedics came and assessed me and found I was ok and did not need to go to hospital. I told the doctor doing my taxi medical this, but he has advised the council that I am UNFIT to drive as I don't meet Group 2 standards, therefore my license has been revoked.

I believe this is a very wrong decision as I did not need 3rd party help.

The DVLA group 2 standard says "no episode of hypoglycaemia requiring the assistance of another person has occurred in the preceding 12 months"

Do you think the doctor has made the right decision. Considering I WAS ASLEEP IN BED. NOT DRIVING. GIRLFRIEND PANICKED. PARAMEDICS DID NOT NEED TO TREAT ME.


The letter that the medical doctor sent to the council taxi department -

The above attended for a routine Taxi Drivers’ Medical at the Municipal Offices in Kettering on 5 October 2015.

Mr ******* does have an underlying medical condition and he had experienced an episode of incapacity requiring the assistance of a third party approximately eight weeks prior to my assessment.

Following my assessment and, noting the specific guidance within the DVLA At a Glance document, Mr ******* is currently unfit to drive based on the DVLA Group 2 Entitlement Standard.

I am requesting an early assessment and report from his treating specialist and he has been made aware that he will be responsible for payment of any fee incurred.

A copy of this report will be sent to Mr ******* in accordance with our obligations under the GMC guidance on confidentiality.

If you require any clarification regarding the contents of this report please do not hesitate to contact me

Yours sincerely"



I am now unemployed after working 18 years continuous as a driver

 

[spaceman]

well I'm a ex taxi driver my licence is due for renewal march 2016 , last week I got 2 forms to fill in from DVLA Swansea, regarding my renewal of my 3 year driving licence, and a demand for my driving licence to be returned asap with them 2 forms basically I havnt a driving licence now until a yes/no renewal of my new driving licence.....well it said on the form I could re apply for a mini bus licence if I wanted even though I'm a diabetic type 1 I believe the dvla Swansea gets a gp to conduct medicals now / and optitions to do eye tests before the verdict of a new 3 year driving licence is issued.