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Driving licence revoked wrongly

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.

k.winter

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
My driving licence had been refused in July this year, very surprising to me I had been sent a letter from the DVLA stating there medical reason for this was that I have apparently "suffered severe & recurrent attacks of hypoglycaemia" this came as a shock to me, so asked my specialist to look through my medical records for the past 12 months to see where they had got there information from. My specialist team found only one episode but under the DVLA laws I have to demonstrate fewer than two???? Since then I have found out my GP who has never seen me for my Diabeties signed documents revoking my licence. I finally managed to get my specialist to talk with my GP & she has admitted that it was wrong to do so (a miss understanding) I have since been sent a letter from the DVLA requesting me to re-apply for my driving licence (in August this year) but im still waiting to get my licence back, it has been 6 weeks since I have re-applyed & have been sent a letter from the DVLA stating that the eyesight laws have been changed!, so now I have to tick another box to say my eyesight is fine for driving & AGAIN im going to have to wait another 6 weeks for them to proccess this information.
At the moment I am on maternity leave but soon to start work again but need a car to do so or will face losing my job. I would like to know if anyone is facing a similar problem & have had there licence wrongly taken from them? I wrote a letter to the DVLA asking for the evidence they recieved to revoke my licence & as yet still to hear from them. Is there anyway to safeguard diabetics from having this happen to them in the future? the DVLA seem to go on the advice of a GP but not on Factual evidence. I believe that in order to refuse a licence it has to be backed up with evidence & the GP or specialist should speak to you before they involve the DVLA.😡
 
Hi k.winter, welcome to the forum 🙂 I don't drive, but it sounds like an absolute nightmare what you have had to go through, through no fault of your own :( I would have thought they could just have restored your license as it should never have been revoked in the first place. I hope you get a resolution to the matter very soon. I wonder if contacting your MP might help speed things up, it's clearly a government department that is prevaricating.
 
Welcome to the forum k.winter.

If the GP who made the mistake has not already written to DVLA, then you must make sure they do so.

The 6 week limit is the usual maximum, but it's usually much quicker than that. Which eyesight rules are being quoted? Have you had some previous eye problems, which have got better / stayed same / got worse? In any case, you need documentary proof of what has happens - might be from optician / opthalmologist etc.

Meanwhile, just in case the driving matters are not resolved by the time your maternity leave ends, if you are already in a trade union / prefessional body, then get them involved or at least briefed now. If you're not in a union / body, the joining now is still worthwhile, but they won't be able to help with any issues dating to before you joined.
 
Er, have you tried ringing the Helpline at DUK?

I say this because they are exceedingly knowledgeable about the DVLA having been involved in the new rules, and although they can't take it up for you, you should get excellent advice.

It isn't their fault your GP gave em duff info. They just acted on it which they are sposed to!

Will say, my GP had such a form out of the blue and immediately rang me himself - not a minion. I was deeply confused because about 2 days previous I'd had a long meeting with my consultant re the form I knew beforehand they'd sent to him, cos DVLA had told me that. Which he complteed whilst I was there, but would not have had a chance to get to Swansea by then. In the event they said they only needed one out ofthe two.

I think DVLA seem to think your GP knows more about you than the hospital, which is bollards. If they wanna know summat about me and it has to be an HCP, that's my DSN in my case. She knows far more about 'me and my D' than any doctor!
 
I am due to renew my license in 2013, so I am unsure as to who actually fills out medical questionnaires etc......

I dont think I have asked the GP to fill anything out though........

I am pretty sure I will be OK though as there will be no hypos reported by me or my consultant/GP......

What eyesight laws have changed....?
 
No you don't ask - DVLA ask em, they know who they are because you've told em and also given them permission to ask. So really they don't have to tell you that they've heard from DVLA.

So for all you know, they could have filled a form in every year since you've been diabetic.

Since about this time last year, a LOT of us have found that they HAVE contacted our HCPs this time whereas the HCPs swear they never have before. It's sposed to be random though, and always was supposed to be that.
 
Eyesight, I think the questions on the newest version of the medical questionnaire (for us I mean not the Drs one) are worded slightly different? but boil down to the same thing?
 
Hi there. If your GP has never seen you, why did you nominate him instead of your Diabetic nurse to reply to the DVLC? On the form they ask you quite clearly to nominate either your Doctor or your Diabetic nurse.
 
A nurse can't sign their form. It has to be signed by a doctor. That doctor must write his GMC Registration number and his membership renewal date next to his sig.

Not only that - if you need an optician to sign anything, they have to add the same information.

Both parties cussed and muttered 'Why on earth do they need THAT?' in my case ! LOL
 
I renewed my license six weeks ago (my own doctor went back to the Netherlands and I was given a new doctor who I have never met yet). On my form I ticked the box saying my diabetes was monitored by my diabetic nurse. I gave them the name of my Dutch doctor as I was unaware of the doctor change. I found out that my doctor had been changed after I received my new license.
 
Consider legal action and inform the GP of your intention. Doctors are not God and make mistakes but if their actions impact on your life - they are accountable.
 
Sure, you can consider legal action, and you should inform GP if you are considering that, but do take into account that even informing of your thoughts / intentions will affect your relationship.
 
Hi Austin, I have never been asked to nominate a doctor to fill out my application, I only got asked after my licence was revoked on the 2nd re-application form which is different from the first. Apparently the DVLA need everyone now to sign a declaration on their eyesight & they only send you this form to fill out, after they have had your application for 6 weeks. Once they recieve your declaration it can take a futher 6 weeks for that to be processed, hence now my stand to lose my job. : (
 
Hi, My GP has informed the DVLA that I am fit to drive. She sent them a letter on the 10th August 2012 which I know the DVLA have recieved. This matter is very awkward for me as my GP is also my neighbour & feel completely let down, that she did'nt speak to me before my licence was refused.
 
:(Hi, My GP has informed the DVLA that I am fit to drive. She sent them a letter on the 10th August 2012 which I know the DVLA have recieved. This matter is very awkward for me as my GP is also my neighbour & feel completely let down, that she did'nt speak to me before my licence was refused.:(
 
Do check with DVLA, but if you already hold a licence, you will be able to keep driving on that, even if date has expired, while DVLA is making enquires. So, DO NOT give up your job, nor accept dismissal, as you are more likely not to lose your licence, assuming you do pass current eyesight, hypo etc requirements.

If there is even a hint of losing your job, get straight in touch with Diabetes UK careline. http://www.diabetes.org.uk/How_we_help/Talk-to-someone/Careline/ 0845 120 2960, Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm.
 
Hi Austin, I have never been asked to nominate a doctor to fill out my application, I only got asked after my licence was revoked on the 2nd re-application form which is different from the first. Apparently the DVLA need everyone now to sign a declaration on their eyesight & they only send you this form to fill out, after they have had your application for 6 weeks. Once they recieve your declaration it can take a futher 6 weeks for that to be processed, hence now my stand to lose my job. : (

This is the form for filling in for a driving licence http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consu...n/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_066647.pdf

Which quite clearly asks you to name your GP and or your consultant. It also asks about eyesight on the form which you have to sighn.

It sounds to me as if they are treating you as a reapplication due to medical reasons so will now make you jump through hoops.
 
Driving licence wrongly revoked

FINALLY!!! going to get my licence back. My doctor phoned me this morning to tell me that she spoke to the Medical Dept of the DVLA & they are pushing my licence through, they informed my doctor that I should of never of been treated as a re-application after my GP & specialist had sent them futher information to support my case. Just want to tell everyone out there who is faced with simular problems that it is VITAL that you get your doctor to contact the medical dept on your behalf, alot of time as been wasted on a matter that could of been cleared up alot quicker. I have now been without a driving licence for 4 months!!! My doctors acted very quicky to get the information to the DVLA to support the fact that medically I CAN drive. My GP has since appoligiesed for getting the DVLA to re-voke my licence, there were mistakes made by my GP & hospital & I believe lessons have been learnt. Unfortunatly even with the evidence that was supplyed to the DVLA it still took 4 months to sort out. I have to say that the DVLA was the BIGGEST let down of all, once they recieved the evidence I was told that I would still have to reapply even though it was sent to them within 6 weeks of my licence being refused.The DVLA switch board treat you as a number they really couldn't care less. I think that it is discusting that once you have filled out the questionare it takes 6 weeks for them to send you a standard letter to say that they have recieved youre questionare & that they need you to answer another two questions that couldn't be sent with the questionare (still waiting for an answer on that one) on eyesight standards. I still had to wait a futher 6 weeks for two questions to be processed. Then I had to go for a medical at the hospital requested by DVLA then surpise surpise wait 6 weeks for that to be processed!!!! luckly enough my GP managed to get this sorted as I was told by the switch board yesterday that they are still dealing with applications as far back as August!!!. The DVLA in my eyes are well overdue a training day!
 
This is the form for filling in for a driving licence http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consu...n/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_066647.pdf

Which quite clearly asks you to name your GP and or your consultant. It also asks about eyesight on the form which you have to sighn.

It sounds to me as if they are treating you as a reapplication due to medical reasons so will now make you jump through hoops.

Yes it asks you for the details of your GP AND consultant it however does not ask which one should they send the questionare too. I put both sets of details in as requested by DVLA, you have to answer ALL questions.On the question when did I last see my GP for my diabeties I left blank as I dont see her, on the other side it asks when I last saw my consultant which I filled in the date. I also put that I see my consultant for my blood glucose check ups. I filled out all questions including thoughs on eyesight but they still send a futher two questions on eyesight standards 6 weeks after your application, this goes for ALL diabetics reapplying.
 
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Very happy to hear that you got your licence back, k.winter 🙂

Many thanks very much for reporting back with vital advice about action to take if it happens to anyone else.
 
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