Clarification please! Type 1 & the law on driving / blood tests

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othytim

othytim

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hello

When I was diagnosed as Type 1 in 2016 the NHS told that I need to have done a blood test with a reading of 5 or above to get behind the wheel. At the time I thought this was the law, but I can't find anything that specific which quotes the actual law in relation to having a reading of 5 or above.

When I told the DVLA they sent some info on this when I was cleared to drive, but I now can't put my hands on what they sent.

Over the last year many of my car journeys have been delayed while I wait for some sweets to kick in so that I get a 5 or more on the meter. I'm now wondering if the info I've been going by is misinformation, as I can't find anything specific on this.

Can you help and can we have a really simple sticky post on the forum with the legal truth?

Cheers

Tim
 
Hi Tim, this is something that keeps cropping up, and various members always come up with different answers, having been told different things by their health team! I found the answer at one point, and it was that you had to be above 4 to drive, and if you were under 5, you had to eat some carbohydrate before driving, (but then you could carry on) but I've lost where it was I found it! The DVLA or Gov.UK website is not the easiest to find to navigate, it must be on there somewhere, or in one of the leaflets, I must have another search, unless anyone else has it at their fingertips.
 
Hi Robin, thanks for your help. I appreciate it.
I think what I'll do tonight when I get home (if I get a chance) is have another good look for what the DVLA sent me in 2016. I'll report back and try and post some scans in case it's of help to others.
I'm feeling slightly annoyed at the possibility that I may have spent over a year going by some bad info and consuming unnecessary sweets or having my wife to do more than her fair share of driving, when I needn't have...
Cheers
Tim
 
othytim said:
Hi Robin, thanks for your help. I appreciate it.
I think what I'll do tonight when I get home (if I get a chance) is have another good look for what the DVLA sent me in 2016. I'll report back and try and post some scans in case it's of help to others.
I'm feeling slightly annoyed at the possibility that I may have spent over a year going by some bad info and consuming unnecessary sweets or having my wife to do more than her fair share of driving, when I needn't have...
Cheers
Tim
Click to expand...
Found this so far, which bears out what I understood about the 4 and the 5, there's a reference at the foot of the page which I'll look at in a mo.
http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=x20111123163931368019&linkID=74525&cook=yes

Edit. Got there, page 121, Appendix 3!

image.png
 
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Robin said:
Found this so far, which bears out what I understood about the 4 and the 5, there's a reference at the foot of the page which I'll look at in a mo.
http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=x20111123163931368019&linkID=74525&cook=yes

Edit. Got there, page 121, Appendix 3!

View attachment 3630
Click to expand...

Hi Robin, thanks for looking into this. Can you post a larger version of that screenshot? The text can't really be read. Also, where is this from? Can you give a link, I couldn't see it on the link you gave. Sorry to be so needy! Tim
 
If you click on the link again then click on the reference link at the bottom of the page it will take you to the gov website, then click on the assessing fitness to drive document scroll through the pages from what I can see from Robin's screenshot it should be page 121 x
 
My wife found the info that was sent by the DVLA! Here's a scan. I'll try and list the key points later.
TaGTkbj.jpg
 
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othytim said:
Hi Robin, thanks for looking into this. Can you post a larger version of that screenshot? The text can't really be read. Also, where is this from? Can you give a link, I couldn't see it on the link you gave. Sorry to be so needy! Tim
Click to expand...
I don't think my iPad is capable of doing any better! If you click on the link and then click where it says 'reference' at the bottom, it takes you to the PDF for doctors on the government website. The document I screenshotted is in Appendix 3, on p121.
 
Kaylz said:
If you click on the link again then click on the reference link at the bottom of the page it will take you to the gov website, then click on the assessing fitness to drive document scroll through the pages from what I can see from Robin's screenshot it should be page 121 x
Click to expand...
Thanks Kaylz, I must type faster!
 
othytim said:
Sorry! Fixed that!
Click to expand...
Yes, that's the same as the one on the Gov. website, which came out too blurry to read, just checked my paperwork, and it's what I was sent when I renewed my licence in 2016.
 
Thanks guys! Okay... For me the key points here are:

DRIVERS WITH INSULIN TREATED DIABETES ARE ADVISED TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS.

You should always carry your glucose meter and blood glucose strips with you. You should check your blood glucose no more than 2 hours before the start of the first journey and every two hours whilst you are driving. If driving multiple short journeys, you do not necessarily need to test before each additional journey as long as you test every 2 hours while driving. More frequent testing may be required if for any reason there is a greater risk of hypoglycaemia for example after physical activity or altered meal routine.

The intention is to ensure that blood glucose is always above 5.0mmol/l while driving. In each case if your blood glucose is 5.0mmol/l or less, take a snack. If lt is less than 4.0mmol/l or you feel hypoglycaemic, do not drive.

If hypoglycaemia develops while driving, stop the vehicle as soon as possible. You should switch off the engine, remove the keys from the ignition and move from the driver’s seat.

You should not start driving until 45 minutes after blood glucose has returned to normal (confirmed by measuing blood glucose). It takes up to 45 minutes for the brain to recover fully.​

In my case I'd wrongly believed that I had to have a reading of 5 or above to drive (so I was delaying driving until I was getting a 5+ reading), but that's not right. If I have a reading of 4.5 for example I just need to eat something and get on my way. This makes things a lot easier!

I'll leave you alone now.

Cheers, Tim
 
The guidance on the DVLA website is here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/diabetes-mellitus-assessing-fitness-to-drive#insulin-treated-diabetes
It doesn't report BG readings as 5mmol or any such figure but referes to Hypoglycemia.

The relevant information about specific BG readings was on form DIABINF which seems to have dissappeared into the Government archives ( it used to be sent to all diabetics on insulin when their licence was issued.
There is a great danger in quoting the the results of internet searches that the website/document you find is out of date. @othytim when was your wife sent that form as it is dated Mar 2014.
The link you found @Robin on GPNotebook wesbite is dated March 2013.

Our good sponsors ar Diabetes UK reflect the DVLA website :https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Life-with-diabetes/Driving/
and do not specify BG readings.
 
Vicsetter said:
There is a great danger in quoting the the results of internet searches that the website/document you find is out of date. @othytim when was your wife sent that form as it is dated Mar 2014.
The link you found @Robin on GPNotebook wesbite is dated March 2013.
Click to expand...

Hi Vicsetter. I was sent that form from the DVLA just under a year ago. Having previously worked for a government department, I remember when our website was incorporated into the single gov.uk website, much of our less commonly used information was not important enough to migrate across. As the info I was sent is the latest I have and there are no clear revisions to this info to be found, it's what I'm going by.
 
Vicsetter said:
ger in quoting the the results of internet searches that the website/document you find is out of date. @othytim when was your wife sent that form as it is dated Mar 2014.
The link you found @Robin on GPNotebook wesbite is dated March 2013
Click to expand...
Yes, as Tim said, and as I had already said in my post above, this is the form I was sent last October. It was quicker to access it via the guide for GPs, and provide the link, rather than wait til I got home and scan it in.
The advice on the DUK link you provided, which I've just clicked through to and read, does indeed quote from the form, and mentions the 5.0 and 4.0 levels as per the DVLA sheet.
 
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It's not actually a law, but it is a condition of your driving license, that will now be a full UK restricted license
 
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