Driver's Medical Appraisal

[citari]

Hi
Just wondering if anyone else has been subjected to this test. I am T1 (for 45 years) and have held a licence for over 30 years. No accidents, let alone related to diabetes. I renew my licence every 3 years, send the form back promptly and get my licence back before the old one expires. I did my bit in June last year and my licence expired at the end of July. I have been getting a letter every month saying they are still dealing with details and have a covering letter which allows me to drive.
Today I got letter saying I need to have a Driver's Medical Appraisal. I have 14 days to agree to it or they will revoke my licence. I have agreed to the appraisal (posted back same day) but when I phoned the DVLA to ask what they were concerned about they could not tell me and advised me to speak to my doctor. I have made an appointment with a GP at my surgery after establishing they have a record of what was filled in but cannot just make an appointment with hospital consultants to discuss. The guy on the end of the phone obviously did not have any idea of how the NHS works, in fact he did not even drive.
If an appointment for the appraisal is made and I cannot keep it the letter says they can just take my licence away, DVLA said that even if notice is given then this may happen because I am not complying with what they want.
After waiting 15 months for surgery (that's Wales for you) I have had my pre op and am expecting the call up any day but will not be able to drive for at least 6 weeks after that so I have no choice but to cancel the operation until after (probably months after) the appraisal . Living in a remote part of Wales with the nearest bus stop 3 miles away, I need my car in order to get to work (22 miles away and no direct bus service). I cannot afford to go through the whole 6 month wait again if I have to reapply for a licence after the op.
Surely if they were that concerned about my ability to drive then they would not have let me carry on driving for 6 months?
I know that my GP did not make any mistakes on the form since we went through it together on the phone.

Has anyone else had this appraisal done? I am not concerned about my driving ability, I just don't understand why I have to do the test and why the DVLA think they can be so high and mighty with people's lives.
Having said that if anyone has had the test, please tell me how you got on.

 

[noblehead]

I've not had to attend a Medical Appraisal although I do have to have a Field Vision Test before they issue me with my driving licence, I'll 'bump' your post up the forum in the hope that someone else has had a similar request.

 

[VickiT11979]

I haven't had this, but is it worth getting in touch with Diabetes UK (the charity) to ask them if they've heard of it before? They might be able to give advice.

 

[donnellysdogs]

First off, DVLA normally have to respond within 8"90 days.

Did you mention anything about operation at all?

I wonder tbh if it is just diabetes they concerned about.. As you do say you shouldnt drive for 6 wks after op.

I too used to live pretty much in a part of rural Wales where I just would not have been able to get to hospital and back by public transport...so I truly sympathise.. And also having also been under the cosh from dvla previously too.

I did actually have some good conversations and help from dvla staff.. The rules of law don't forget arent down to an individual that we have to deal with.. They have to follow rules...

The dvla can and will pick up on any illness .. Not just us..even the majority of people if they suffer from depression should notify dvla and be subjected to these medical tests and opinions.

The most important things ref diabetes is hypo's , how many and how severe....

 

[citari]

Thanks for replies, yes I will phone Diabetes uk. On reflection over the weekend I am thinking that the test has probably not been asked for due to my diabetes, since how can they do a spot test on the likelihood of anyone having a hypo. My diabetes has not changed in the last 3 years, although the questions on the forms have, I check my blood sugar before driving and during long journeys and follow the under 5 don't drive rule. as supported by my 30 years driving without an accident. I need to check what answers have been given on the form sent to my GP. Asking the same question to a consultant will not be so easy, but I will start with their secretary. The operation is to correct a problem I have with one foot caused by neuropathy, but this does not affect my driving and has been declared on previous driving licence renewals with no issues. I guess this is the most likely reason for the appraisal or maybe it is the combination of the two conditions. I have just come back from a two mile walk with the dog and my foot now hurts but once sitting down it is ok and I had no difficulty operating the clutch pedal on the drive home.

Yes, the DVLA did 'respond' within 90 days, but only to tell me that they were still processing my application and asking me for information that I had already given them. I was told by the doctors' surgery on Friday that the form was completed for the DVLA in October. I thought that doctors and consultants were given 30 days to give the information to the DVLA, so I do not understand why there was such a big delay in contacting my GP when my renewal forms were sent to the DVLA in June and the obvious question: why the 3 month delay in processing the reply?
I also think that it is unacceptable that they refuse to give me a reason for asking me to take the test.

I am afraid I disagree with the statement about the DVLA picking up on any illness, really? how? They could certainly target their resources better to make the roads safe. I have watched elderly aquaintances who did not recognise me until they got quite close and squinted then pull out their car keys and drive off afterwards. I waited more than a few minutes before following.......

 

[donnellysdogs]

Ref picking up on other illnesses... I only realised this when I reponded to DVLA when i was having my licence reviewed that they were causing me to have 'depression' with their inadequacies in dealing with me...
They picked up on this and then sent me a letter stating that I had to complete another form because I had not declared depression!!!!
Now..!how many of the millions of people that are depressed declare it to the dvla? How mant taking tablets for depression declare it?
It is a declarable disease apparently.. Or at least it was 3 years ago.

Perhaps we should all move to Swansea and apply for jobs in their medical teams... They are obviously lacking in commitment and staffing to get medical questionnaires sorted out in a timely and efficient manner!

 

[citari]

If they actually picked up more people that needed assessing then nobody would ever get a licence.
I have made some progress, I viewed the form that my GP had filled in for my diabetes and there were no problems there. I found out that my diabetic consultant had not even been asked to complete a form so it took 3 - 4 months for the DVLA to send the forms to be completed by my GP and my orthopaedic consultant. His reference to pain and limitiation of walking must have been enough for the DVLA to waste time and money giving me a medical assessment driving test.
My conclusion is that T1 diabetics are just sitting targets and the aim is to get us all off the road.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Pain management by dvla may be an assumption by authorities that you are taking medication that may effect driving too, and them wanting confirmation from consultants on any meds that you may or may not be taking.. May not all be diabetes driven? (so to speak-lol!)

 

[citari]

hmmm
I am sure that the DVLA have got the list of my medications by now. I am not sure that taking ibuprofen twice a day warrants a driving test? Unfortunately since the problem with my foot comes from diabetic neoropathy and now I am on the DVLA's radar all I can expect is hassle. I got a second letter today covering me for driving without a licence. It points out that the letter is only valid for 12 months following my application for a licence. Bit of a cheek since it is their incompetence that has resulted in me still playing the waiting game. I have decided to proceed with the operation so I will be dangerously close to the 12 months if they do not test me before my op which is now scheduled in March bearing in mind that they seem to take at least 3 months to do anything.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Omg... I spoke to a number of the medical team at dvla with my review process, and they were pretty good.. It is such a **** shame that you are going through such hell with yours. I really can imagine the frustration and anxiety you must be going through.. It was bad enough for me waiting the 90 days... I do so hope that your op goes well and when you get home there a good response waiting on your doormat from dvla.
I cant see 2 neurofens a day being bad for dvla.. But it depends on form compketion, medical person. Interpreting and so on and so on.
You surely must hold the record for the longest time waiting for a licence renewal..... I'd be contacting the BBC One Show by now as an interesting scoop for them!!

 

[citari]

Through my own investigations I know what was filled in on the forms and the only thing that can be causing the DVLA concern is the pain and limitation in walking comment. From the diabetic angle, I was referred by my podiatrist to the orthopaedic surgeon because as well as the pain, not wishing to bore people with my foot problem, the diabetic neuropathy has deformed my foot so that I get recurring ulcers, even with special footwear. No issues with driving mentioned on forms at all so it is ironic that they are considering taking away my licence. By the way, I did phone Diabetes uk and they had not heard of anyone being given this test.
Thanks you for your feedback and sympathy and let's hope that not too many other diabetics start getting called in for this assessment.

 

[Faith*]

I've never had a problem myself with renewing my license until now.

I filled in the renewal form in December and they wrote back to me to say they were contacting my GP to get more information. Something they have never done before. My GP have sent a form back to them but I'm still waiting to hear whether I get to keep my license.

I've no idea what has provoked this as my control is reasonably good and I filled the form out as I usually do. I've heard a rumour that they are randomly checking some diabetics? Maybe this is what they're doint to us citari?

 

[citari]

If that is the case then don't hold your breath Faith! I spoke to the DVLA today and apparently the date my renewal application was recorded at the DVLA was 31/5/2012. I phoned to try and push on the driving appraisal but no promises have been given.
I do hope you do not have the same problems with such unreasonable time delays

 

[donnellysdogs]

That is chronic... Everybody and anybodys medicals will be different in that amount of time... What was recorded in May last year for me certsinly wouldnt be the same now.
That is absolutely appaling...

 

[Faith*]

Yikes, that's ridiculous isn't it!

I don't understand why they make it so difficult for us. Surely we're safer than someone who has heart attacks/epilepsy because we get warning signs?

I rang the DVLA myself yesterday and they said a decision will be made once their panel review the applications. I've 18 days of freedom left

Hope you hear soon citari!

 

[citari]

Don't worry Faith - they will give you a covering letter whilst a decision is being made. I was just worried because it only covers you for a year following your application. I told the DVLA the date of my operation on Monday (7th March) and asked that I could be assessed before then. The lady I spoke to did seem to be listening this time. She said she would try and hurry it along.
I got a phone call from the driving test people offering a date in April (unsuitable because of op), she had not been told anything about the date I had given the DVLA, but fair play when I explained and asked for a cancellation if possible, she went away for a few minutes and offered me the test in 2 weeks.
Better start practising my reversing!
oh and clean the car......

 

[Faith*]

I'll keep my fingers and toes crossed for you then citari! Let us know how you get on x

 

[suzanne.moss]

Hi my dad has had to do this in January, it was nothing to do with Diabetes but was a driving Medical Appraisal due to health reasons. He was given a date, in the time waiting he went out with a driving instructor to learn the new ways as was a while since he passed his original test. On the day it is like a driving test, only less formal. They do an eye test, then they drive around, you drive independently for a while ie they say drive me to say London and you have to read the signs to get there or in that direction. That lasts 10 mins, then they just drive around like in a normal test with the person telling you where to go. You have to do one kind of reverse ie reverse around the corner. After the appraisal they give you a mark A,B,C,D. The first two are green the second 2 are red. That gets sent to the DVLA and they then presume to tell you if you can drive or not. My Dad got All green B. But as yet has heard nothing from the DVLA. That was the start of the year in Jan. SO they are very slow, which is totally unfair for the driver to know if they can continue or not. It is much calmer than a test and they tried really hard to put my dad at ease. Hope all goes well when you get to do the Appraisal hope this helps.

 

[citari]

Not sure what happened - I thought I had posted this a few days ago

Don't worry about the days left on licence Faith - DVLA will give you a covering letter if your licence runs out before they make a decision. The letter is valid for a year from your application date.

I chased DVLA for my appraisal and explained that I wanted it before the 7th March and was told that the info would be passed on to the DSA (Driving Standards). Got a call offering me an appointment in April - they had not been informed about op in March by DVLA. Managed to get a cancellation for next Thursday on the test.
Got an agressive letter today from DVLA, you must do this and you must do that and you must have this test before 8th April and if you cancel or fail to attend on the date arranged then your licence will be revoked and you will not be able to drive.
I have to return a signed form giving them the date of the appraisal.
I have arranged this and managed to bring the date forward and yet the DVLA are bullying me. The tone of the letter is just nasty.

Better practice my reversing
and clean the car this weekend....

 

[citari]

I can see the post I made now
sorry for the repeat