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DVLA and driving licence problems.

You didn't get the 7.5 ton bits removed when you originally declared diabetes to the DVLA when first diagnosed? That's when mine went.
 
evilclive said:
You didn't get the 7.5 ton bits removed when you originally declared diabetes to the DVLA when first diagnosed? That's when mine went.
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No, I remember telling the DVLA when I first was diagnosed best part of 15 years ago, and I have sent my Licence back for change of address since then, and did not really have any need to question it as it wasn't used, just on there. It's only been made clear to me the process now that this has all happened re. the HGV side. It's not too much of an issue, as it's made me more determined now to get my HGV, and when I do, all the old entitlements will be added anyway through Class 1.
 
britishpub said:
I will step in and defend the DVLA.

I know many of those who work in the medical section through my work in a trade body, and they are sympathetic and work very hard to ensure drivers who should be able to, retain their entitlements.

They deal with 1,000s of cases, covering a huge number of conditions of which diabetes is a large number of cases, but in no way the only one.

They operate a “gatekeeper” system where the forms sent in to them are entered into their system and certain answers given will automatically mean the case is elevated to a case worker to deal with. They do not know you or your condition, they can only act on the answers you give, and any information given by your medical practitioners.

In virtually every case where there are issues with licence entitlement, the root cause will be a box ticked incorrectly or missed entirety, and often due to an inadvertent error by a HCP.

DVLA cannot allow someone to drive unless they are absolutely certain they can do so safely. They do not take this responsibility lightly and in my experience are totally professional and do their utmost to ensure people are not unfairly treated.
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Oddly enough, I recollect many years ago in my eagerness & haste to fill out the form & send, omitting a section...?
They sent it back & I fixed the error. ;)
 
britishpub said:
I will step in and defend the DVLA.

I know many of those who work in the medical section through my work in a trade body, and they are sympathetic and work very hard to ensure drivers who should be able to, retain their entitlements.

They deal with 1,000s of cases, covering a huge number of conditions of which diabetes is a large number of cases, but in no way the only one.

They operate a “gatekeeper” system where the forms sent in to them are entered into their system and certain answers given will automatically mean the case is elevated to a case worker to deal with. They do not know you or your condition, they can only act on the answers you give, and any information given by your medical practitioners.

In virtually every case where there are issues with licence entitlement, the root cause will be a box ticked incorrectly or missed entirety, and often due to an inadvertent error by a HCP.

DVLA cannot allow someone to drive unless they are absolutely certain they can do so safely. They do not take this responsibility lightly and in my experience are totally professional and do their utmost to ensure people are not unfairly treated.
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I understand and apprieciate what you have written here, and it all makes total sense.

In my case here, with clarity, it appears to be a paperwork issue, that hopefully will get rectified quite quickly.

BUT, what I do have issue with is the way that they have come down on me, and the content/tone of the letters that they send out, all it seems is that they are unsympathetic and no unstanding of people with T1 imo.
 
Craig1978 said:
BUT, what I do have issue with is the way that they have come down on me, and the content/tone of the letters that they send out, all it seems is that they are unsympathetic and no unstanding of people with T1 imo.
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I mentioned earlier in the thread. Please dont take the corespondence "personally," it's a "template letter." Concise & to their point.
Banks, lawyers, court summons... It's just business. ;) ("Black & white.")
It isn't nice news.... But. Using the facts with your doctor's support. I'm confident you will be back on the road.

I don't need to wish you "luck." :)
 
It wasn't the people doing the case work at DVLA who annoyed me by stopping me driving for 9 months, it's the people who took the absolute maximum amount of time possible to change the rules regarding hypos while asleep back to how they used to be when they were told they had to.
 
Update to the update!

After getting my Doctor and Diabetic Nurse to provide the DVLA with the clarifications and info they said they needed, I have now had a letter from the DVLA now asking for clarification from my Doctor on a new, unrelated point than before!! So frustrating!!

They had said in my letter that they had included a copy of the medical form for me to look at, but it wasn't enclosed in the letter, so when I rang up to request a copy, they said I could not make requests for info over the phone and that I had to submit a freedom of information request for a copy!!! You really couldn't make all this up!

Once this is all done and dusted, I wil be making a massive complaint! I just don't see how they can treat people like this, given that they know my work/life situation. I must state again for anyone that hasn't read the whole thread, I am ok/safe to drive, it's just a 'paperwork' problem that is causing all the issues.
 
Update to the Update to the Update! lol

Finally got a copy of the original Medical form, and the Email I required via my Doctors, and it's actually made me even more annoyed at the situation.

Having read through it all with great care, the reasons for the DVLA revoking my licence just don't stack up. They have just chosen one note on the form and disguarded many other points in my favour. The final form had been filled in, checked and double checked, so hopefully this should be the end of this saga pretty soon.

I hope this is a cautionary tale for anyone with Type 1 who wants to deal with the DVLA!
 
Final update!

Just got my Licence back now, after a lot of phone call and generally making a nuisance of myself to them. However, it's come back as a 1 year Medical licence. Not the end of the world, but even at the end, I still feel patronised by them regarding my Type 1.

Just glad to be able to drive again now, and seeing as I now definately have all the relevant information, I am going to apply for my HGV provision entitlement asap, all this had made me even more determined to do it!

Overall, a cautionary tale for people with T1, if you are going to contact the DVLA, tread carefully!!!!
 
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