Totally Frustrated with the DVLA

Bigmoose

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Being persecuted for not being as well as I once was!
Thanx Dave, I appreciate all you say and definitely appreciate that we need to make sure we're all safe to drive. Part of my frustration is the fact that had a competent person read what I wrote on my application to renew my licence this could have been all avoided. I'm convinced that what happened is that some admin clerk just typed in the dates that I put on my application and that generated an automatic letter banning me and refusing to renew my licence. The letter that they sent stated, "We have received medical information as part of this enquiry......". The only thing they received is what I sent them and they hadn't enquired about anything. To my mind, if they are working with a reduced number of staff then they need to seriously look at their processes and drag themselves into the current century. They are dealing with tons of paperwork when, in fact, a lot of it could well be automated. A number of their forms are available electronically but they can't be filled in and submitted electronically. Other forms are only available in paper form and must be filled out by hand. Presumably, someone at the DVLA either has to enter the info into their system or scan the paper document and upload that to their system. All very antiquated and labour intensive. I have written to my MP and to the MP who heads up the Commons Transport Committee. My MP has written to the DVLA on my behalf but, as of this morning, had not received a reply from them. Many thanx again for your input Dave. I really appreciate that & I know that I'm not the only one suffering because of the DVLA's gross inefficiency.
Good luck buddy, I hope you get things sorted soon. You would not believe the antiquated and unusable computer systems we have at DVSA, but still we do our best to serve.
 
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DMM49

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Having diabetes and not knowing why BG levels seem to rise & fall of their own accord.
My sincere thanx to those of you who suggested that I write to Oliver Morley, the CEO of the DVLA. I arrived home from Devon yesterday to find 3 pieces of mail from the DVLA waiting for me to include a new driving licence. However, the licence isn't valid until Christmas Day which is 12 months to the date when I had my first severe hypo. It seems that the letter from my GP explaining the reason for the two hypos didn't sway anyone at the DVLA and they have made sure that I am banned from driving until such time as I don't have more than one severe hypo over 12 months. I had a letter from the Customer Complaint Resolution Team which said that they aim to complete 90% of cases within 90 days. That equates to a 13 week workload backlog which I personally think is totally unacceptable but that appears to be the standard that they are currently working to. They also told me that they have "no discretion in how the medical standards are applied". If their Medical Advisory Panel has set the 12 month ban then that's what they are required to enforce regardless of any extenuating circumstances advised to them by a doctor. I truly believe that had I not written to their CEO and had my MP not written to them on my behalf I would still be waiting. However, I now have a light at the end of the tunnel but will still be riding the bus for another two months.
 
M

mrspuddleduck

Guest
I've been waiting since last Xmas when I stupidly told them I'm now on insulin. They cannot get a reply from gp and gp reception refuse to push gp or let me see them to discuss it.

Hi @spacebod69, you can phone the DVLA and ask them to contact your Diabetic Consultant instead of your GP. The DVLA needs to confirm your status with a medical professional that knows you. It doesn't have to be your GP. Sue x
 

DMM49

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Having diabetes and not knowing why BG levels seem to rise & fall of their own accord.
Hi @spacebod69, you can phone the DVLA and ask them to contact your Diabetic Consultant instead of your GP. The DVLA needs to confirm your status with a medical professional that knows you. It doesn't have to be your GP. Sue x
Thanx Sue, My GP is a diabetic specialist and I was under his care when I was on the industrial strength antibiotics that caused all the problems. Before coming to our surgery my GP was at the diabetic clinic at our local hospital.
 
M

mrspuddleduck

Guest
Thanx Sue, My GP is a diabetic specialist and I was under his care when I was on the industrial strength antibiotics that caused all the problems. Before coming to our surgery my GP was at the diabetic clinic at our local hospital.
Sorry @DMM49, I was aiming at spacebod69 because he's having problems with his GP cooperating with the DVLA. Mind you I'm quite jealous if you have a GP who's a Diabetic specialist! Hang on to them!!!!! :D Sue xx
 

DMM49

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Having diabetes and not knowing why BG levels seem to rise & fall of their own accord.
Sorry @DMM49, I was aiming at spacebod69 because he's having problems with his GP cooperating with the DVLA. Mind you I'm quite jealous if you have a GP who's a Diabetic specialist! Hang on to them!!!!! :D Sue xx
Thanx Sue. I missed what you were responding to there. I have absolutely no complaints about my diabetic care here. My GP is super and the team at our hospital clinic is great as well. Feeling very fortunate.
 
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flojo1234

Well-Known Member
Messages
62
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I applied for my driving license in the January of this year, and only received a decision in august! terrible service which I was highly irritated at. I rang many times and often got as rude response telling my I 'did not understand' how it worked and they would not tell me what was happening with my application. mine too was declined due to 2 'severe' hypos which I found difficult to accept as I have good hypo awareness and have never fainted due to a hypo, it just took me over an hour to raise my blood sugars. interesting to see I am not the only one who feels this way
 
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DMM49

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Having diabetes and not knowing why BG levels seem to rise & fall of their own accord.
I applied for my driving license in the January of this year, and only received a decision in august! terrible service which I was highly irritated at. I rang many times and often got as rude response telling my I 'did not understand' how it worked and they would not tell me what was happening with my application. mine too was declined due to 2 'severe' hypos which I found difficult to accept as I have good hypo awareness and have never fainted due to a hypo, it just took me over an hour to raise my blood sugars. interesting to see I am not the only one who feels this way
You may want to look very carefully at the DVLA's definition of "severe hypo". They class it as one where you required someone else's help to recover. If someone helped you but you could have helped yourself then that doesn't count. Good luck with yours.
 
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mollycat1

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Dislikes
can`t think of any !
Sorry to digress and sorry for my ignorance but are you meant to inform DVLA if you have just started on Lantus ?
 

donnellysdogs

Master
Messages
13,233
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
People that can't listen to other people's opinions.
People that can't say sorry.
Incidentally.. Just as a side point to this... Perhaps if they had made a decision about extending licences to 5 yr or 10yr for us it would alleviate their backlogs!!

I thought this was meant to have had a decision made in October of this year.. Anybody heard anything?

It would surely reduce their backlog and inefficiencies...
 
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Minnie_19

Well-Known Member
Messages
75
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi Donnellydogs,

The meeting in October did happen but unfortunately it would appear that the minutes of that meetings were kept very vague.

I contacted the DVLA who had promised to take a letter that I had sent them questioning there slow response (3 years) about the decision with them to the meeting. I was informed this had happened and it was discussed but due to the complex nature of the decision there would need to be further meetings to decide.

I would urge anyone with problems to look at the reports that developed the guidance to this leglislation and write letters to the DVLA /EU. The more the issue is pushed the more likely they are to respond. It's going to take years to change but I am assured things are looking positive for the future.

If you want to take a look at the petition I set up last year regarding this then go to https://www.change.org/p/rt-hon-dav...ed-carefully-in-the-context-of-the-individual for more info. I've also got a group on FB called Action for Diabetic Drivers.

Thanks

Helen
 
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DMM49

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Having diabetes and not knowing why BG levels seem to rise & fall of their own accord.
Helen, I've sent you a PM on the Action for Diabetic Drivers FB page.
 

Minnie_19

Well-Known Member
Messages
75
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I have just replied DMM49. By the way did you manage to sign the petition as I had an email this morning to say it's now been closed and can't see if people can still sign it as its been open for a year today?

Thanks Helen
 

DMM49

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Having diabetes and not knowing why BG levels seem to rise & fall of their own accord.
I have just replied DMM49. By the way did you manage to sign the petition as I had an email this morning to say it's now been closed and can't see if people can still sign it as its been open for a year today?

Thanks Helen
I signed it last night using my iPad as we were away staying in a hotel. I did notice today that it had been closed. Looks like I got in just under the wire.
 

Minnie_19

Well-Known Member
Messages
75
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Okay thank you for letting me know. I'm trying to reopen it again but having some issues. Hopefully it will be re-open again a bit later this evening. Thank you for signing!
 
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jbwebesign

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
@DMM49 I'm glad you managed to get your review sorted out. Since following your suggestion about contacting the local MP, they managed to handle my case for me and got my application prioritised. My new license arrived the other day and I'm now back on the road. I believe they too spoke to Oliver at the DVLA so this post should be very helpful for other diabetics in the same situation as he is indeed a key contact to have. Failing that then they should try contacting their local MP as they can contact the DVLA on your behalf and as I say, in some cases, maybe even prioritise your application for you!
 

Angryamster

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm type 2, have been since 2004. First on medication then on insulin from 2012. They took my 7.5 tonne entitlement off me and just stripped me of all classifications bar a car and a transit van. As a self employed driver of 6 years that inhibits what work you can do and recently had a prospective contract to be a bus driver pending a provisional license from the dvla, which was refused because no evidence of testing blood sugar levels twice a day but they were in contact with my doctors to confirm NO hypo's or incidents due to mismanagement.

Hate them with a passion.
 

CarbsRok

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,688
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
pasta ice cream and chocolate
I'm type 2, have been since 2004. First on medication then on insulin from 2012. They took my 7.5 tonne entitlement off me and just stripped me of all classifications bar a car and a transit van. As a self employed driver of 6 years that inhibits what work you can do and recently had a prospective contract to be a bus driver pending a provisional license from the dvla, which was refused because no evidence of testing blood sugar levels twice a day but they were in contact with my doctors to confirm NO hypo's or incidents due to mismanagement.

Hate them with a passion.
Well you can not blame the DVLA for refusing a licence if you do not show the required evidence of testing at least twice a day, that is written in black and white. As you are on insulin even for a car licence you have to test before you drive.

So perhaps instead of blaming the wrong dept or person try helping yourself by doing what is required of you so that you and all other road users are when you are behind the wheel of a car.
 
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