license revoked -

I recently was referred to see a diabetes consultant due to a referral made by my GP post a visit I had with regards to improving the control of my diabetes. The primary reason for the referral was due to a hypo I had at work for which I requested assistance from a work colleague. After that event I decided to purchase the Dexcom G5 and my main visit to the GP was to see if the NHS provided any type of funding for Continuous Glucose Monitoring systems (I was told a decision on funding could only be made with a referral to a consultant under secondary care).


After I was referred to the see the consultant we discussed my hypo at work, why I had it, why I didn’t notice it etc. As I recounted my story I was asked what my sugars were at time and I said 2.5mmol (although to be honest I did not know as I did not test). After calling out 2.5mmol he explained that the DVLA states you need to be hypo aware above 3.0 mmol and as I said 2.5 mmol and did not manage the hypo then I was classed as hypo unware and I could no longer drive.


His quick pace to reach this decision infuriated me I challenged his decision but I was told that patients often do this but it was his duty of care to revoke my license based on the incident I had just described. I explained with regards to this hypo - I was in a long business meeting and I was aware I was having a hypo but I had no sugar at hand so I thought I would wait it out (bad decision I know). After the business meeting my sugars had been low for probably about 30 minutes and I had to tell a work colleague that I was a diabetic and required some sugar so could they please buy me a sugary drink, despite recounting this I was still told I was unware of my hypos and should have known prior (my story lended itself towards being badly managed, although I think I was being transparent).


I can’t believe I that primarily went in to see if there was funding available for my Dexcom G5 and I walk out 30 minutes later being told I can no longer drive!! I have been diabetic for 27 years and consider myself to be very well controlled. I can’t help but thinking the decision to take my license away was more to do with the fact I was referred under the banner of being hypo unware (which is not true) and perhaps to do with potential liability (for example say I got into a car accident and it was find out I had a visit under secondary care to see a diabetes consultant and nothing was done at the time).

As I live somewhat remotely taking my license away is going to severely impact how I go about my life, including getting to work, taking my children to school, food shopping and so forth. You would think before revoking ones license questions would be asked about how one will cope and not done so casually without any further supporting evidence.

Furthermore to make maters worse I was told I had to come back for a review in 3 months time and the condition on the future of my driving would be based on providing access to my Dexcom device through some sort of online account so they could monitor my control - funny that I walked in thinking the NHS might fund it and instead required to self fund it to act as supporting eveidience to drive again.

Hi Resurgam

Thanks for the response, I’m going to follow up with my GP to ask what exactly was said in his referral letter which made them arrive to their conclusion - the consultant appeared to have made his decision about revoking my license prior to my arrival.

Maybe as a diabetic I have taken driving for granted but I think there should be more support when they make decisions such as this - for example I was told it would be against the law for me to drive home from the appointment ( I was not expecting that outcome so who collects my children from school, drives my car home, takes my kids to school the following day, you think there would be someone asking are you ok getting home and collecting your kids, do you have support in place?)

Type 1 is not classed as disability for which you get some sort of living allowance but today I have realised the condition of being a type 1 diabetic can be completely changed by loosing your license - potentially impacting family life, well being and acces to work. As I said I have taken for granted the freedom of driving as a type 1 but if my experience is common on how they deliver this type of news to diabetics then there is a definite need to change their approach and assessment to reach such decisions.

That’s an interesting point raised and I have just done some further reading on the governments general information assessing fitness to drive. It states it’s the drivers legal duty to inform the DVLA when they have been instructed by a health care professional that they are no longer fit to drive, and a health care professional can only inform the DVLA on your behalf if they have your consent - unless the individual refused to notify.

So in my case I’m legally obliged to inform the DVLA despite not agreeing with the decision. As suggested in a comment above I may contact the DVLA for further advice.

Going back to my other point there needs to be better information advice and guidance in place for diabetics when news like this is delivered, the consultants delivery was pretty much a tick box excerise without concerns of the consequences. I was told when I left I was no longer allowed to drive land would be breaking the law if doing so, however I cannot believe it’s as black and white as this when diabetes can be somewhat subjective and not exactly one size fits all.

No doubt similar threads probably already exist but I’m hoping my experience is not common amongst others - I really think a different approach needs to be taken with the assessment and delivery by a GP/consultant when revoking ones license.

For example in my situation I challenged his decision and asked - your staying I’m not fit to drive in case I cause injuries to myself or others but what about everything else, why would it stop just behind the wheel? Why are there no other questions about my well being, managing my children etc. When I asked if I could still ride my bike to work and down a public road I was told yes, but then I said if there is a probablity whilst driving then why would that not be the same on my bike, for example I could have a supposed unaware by hypo fall off my bike and cause a serious accident to myself and others, his response was ‘there is no law preventing me from telling you that you cannot ride your bike, and I don’t make the law’.

I guess this is where my issue lies, the delivery of his message was more about sticking to the text book, probably also reducing liability than actually having a concern for ones well being or root causes.

I’m hoping not all diabetics get short changed like this but if this is the approach under secondary care then changes need to be made. Ironically I would say Diabetics are safer behind the wheel than a non diabetic as we are more self aware and risk adverse.