How to make a complaint about the DVLA medical assessment process

Any point of taking the medical?

Convicted Driver Insurance

Jimmy_s

New Member
I have my medical for high risk drink driver next week and should pass the medical no problem the only problem is that I had a detox in February this year and then again in October this year I was teetotal between Feb and October and have not been drinking since October obviously this will be a stumbling block as if disclosure on the medical questionnaire will it likely be that I will be a straight refusal if they get I touch with my doctor. Is there any point of me taking the medical?

Kind regards Jimmy
 
Jimmy_s said:
I have my medical for high risk drink driver next week and should pass the medical no problem the only problem is that I had a detox in February this year and then again in October this year I was teetotal between Feb and October and have not been drinking since October obviously this will be a stumbling block as if disclosure on the medical questionnaire will it likely be that I will be a straight refusal if they get I touch with my doctor. Is there any point of me taking the medical?

Kind regards Jimmy
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It states here (DVLA's current medical guidelines for professionals) [Alcohol Misuse] that "Persistent alcohol misuse, confirmed by medical enquiry and/or by evidence of otherwise unexplained abnormal blood markers, requires licence revocation or refusal until a minimum 6 month period of controlled drinking or abstinence has been attained, with normalisation of blood parameters."

If you went through an alcohol detox with help and guidance from health care professionals in October then it is likely your application for a drivers licence will be refused until a minimum 6 month period of controlled drinking or abstinence has been attained as stated above. Going through a detox in October obviously proves that you were persistently misusing alcohol approximately two months ago.

Let us know how you get on.
 
In fact the current DVLA standards go even further than the above. They will not consider restoration of a driving licence until 12 months after a detox has been done, so I would suggest that you cancel the medical to save your money, as I feel a failure is inevitable at this time.
 
price1367 said:
In fact the current DVLA standards go even further than the above. They will not consider restoration of a driving licence until 12 months after a detox has been done, so I would suggest that you cancel the medical to save your money, as I feel a failure is inevitable at this time.
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This timescale only applies to a failed DVLA medical with a 12 month exclusion for a high CDT level of 3.0 or higher.


If you pass the DVLA medical on a green light then you will need a CDT level of 2.2 or lower. In this case the DVLA cannot refuse your licence application. There are no DVLA requirements that state you must not have been involved in any detox programme for a twelve month period before you are allowed to take the DVLA medical. There is also the term "detox" and "programme" which are both open to interpretation, and are not described by the DVLA as a reference point as to what they would consider either to be.

My advice would be to contact the DVLA and explain your situation. You have nothing to lose by doing that, and they will tell you straight. I believe that you should be entitled to take the medical, which only costs £100.00. If you fail the medical you will be excluded from retaking it for either 12 months or 6 months. A 12 month exclusion is based on alcohol dependency, and a 6 month exclusion is based on alcohol misuse.

The details can be found here:http://www.drinkdriving.org/drink_driving_information_DVLA_medical.php

I hope this helps.

M
 
Have a look at this paragraph from the link provided by the moderator:

"Alcohol dependence, confirmed by medical enquiry, requires licence revocation or refusal until a 1 year period free from alcohol problems has been attained. Abstinence will normally be required, with normalisation of blood parameters, if relevant"

The medical enquiry will be in the form of a CDT blood test, taken during the medical.

Red Zone
3.00 or above is a fail with a 12 month exclusion. This zone is seen as indicative of alcohol dependency
Amber Zone
2.9 to 2.3 will result in further enquiries with your GP. If you fail, then there is a 6 month exclusion. This zone is indicative of alcohol misuse.
Green Zone
2.2 or below. This is a straight pass. (Green Zone)

If you are green zone then you cannot fail the DVLA medical. You will be issued with a 10 year licence.

Where you are likely to encounter a problem is if you are at the higher end of the Amber zone. With your prior history, they are likely to fail you. If you pass in the Amber zone you will be given a temporary 1 or 3 year licence, with a requirement to take the medical again at the end of either period.

In order to have a CDT level of 2.2 or lower, you will need to abstain from alcohol for 3 to 5 months.

The DVLA will not make any conclusions until you have taken the test. Regardless of a prior detox programme, you are entitled to take this test, and if you are green zone then you pass, because that means you are drinking well below the levels that are indicative of misuse or dependency.

You can ask your GP about taking a separate CDT test to access your levels prior to the actual DVLA medical. It is available privately at a cost of around £170.00. If your GP agrees, then you could get it on the NHS for free.

I hope this helps.

Don't lose hope.

M
 
McLanelli,
I appreciate that you have quoted from the link that the moderator has quoted, but I must take issue with this part that has been added from somewhere.... certainly NOT from the guidelines:

If you are green zone then you cannot fail the DVLA medical. You will be issued with a 10 year licence.

That is NOT correct. The medical panel take all factors into account, looking at the lifestyle and medical answers on the application form, and when detox is disclosed (in fact 2 on 10 months) during the application then enquiries will be made with the GP, and the current DVLA stance is that they will not issue a licence until 12 months have elapsed from a detox, because of the risk of relapse. (as indeed is the case for Jimmy_s)
I agree that the matter is 'confirmed by medical enquiry', and he is entitled to apply, but his question was "Is it worth it?" and at a cost of about £100, with the almost certainty of refusal, then I maintain that he is better off saving his money for when he has a realistic prospect of success.
 
Thanks for all the help I'm guessing I should apply again in around six months or so. Although I'm confident to get in the green zone it's just my history that would go against me wish I knew this before. Feel like such an idiot fell at the last hurdle really gutted was looking forward to getting my life on track this is a major step back for me.?
 
Good luck, and I would do what Mclanelli suggested and ask your GP for a CDT test nearer the time. They will often agree to do this on the NHS, but remember to specify CDT not Liver Function Test, because this is no longer used by DVLA.
 
I'm going to speak to my dr tomorrow see what he says but I will probably cancel and wait 6 months really feels like a punch in the knacks seeing as I've served my ban out.
Seems unfair. Especially as I know that I'll pass the medical aswell.
Thanks for the help guys.
 
Jimmy_s said:
I'm going to speak to my dr tomorrow see what he says but I will probably cancel and wait 6 months really feels like a punch in the knacks seeing as I've served my ban out.
Seems unfair. Especially as I know that I'll pass the medical aswell.
Thanks for the help guys.
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I have not heard or read of anyone failing the medicalwith a CDT level of 2.2 or less. That doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened though.
The DVLA chose a traffic light scoring system when they implementedthe CDT testing, and they do issue licenses to people with an amber CDT score.
I doubt the integrity of this testwould last very long if the DVLA then refused people with a green CDT score.That would result in the kind of legal appeals that the previous liver functiontest had become irreparably undermined by.
That’s what the DVLA wanted to avoid when they brought inthe CDT testing to replace the previous test. Yes, there are other aspects tothe medical, but really the CDT test is 90% of it.
I can’t find anything in the DVLA guidelines thatsuggests an automatic exclusion if any alcohol management or maintenance programme has beenundertaken. There is certainly no reference to the term “detox” which is aloose term at best and open to different interpretation, of which theDVLA provide none.
The best thing to do here is to speak to the DVLA andexplain your situation. They will tell you what your best options are. Then seeyour GP. That way you are 100% sure of your options.
I hope you get a result.
Regards
M
 
Whilst there may be different interpretations of what "detox" means, in this case, it is useful to see what DVLA use as their interpretation, and this is in the guidelines they produce, which are more detailed that those contained in the notes on this site. They are here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/current...-guidance-for-professionals-conditions-a-to-c

The relevant part says:

Alcohol dependence
A cluster of behavioural, cognitive and physiological phenomena that develop after repeated alcohol use and which include a strong desire to take alcohol, difficulties in controlling its use, persistence in its use despite harmful consequences, with evidence of increased tolerance and sometimes a physical withdrawal state
​
Indicators may include a history of withdrawal symptoms, of tolerance, of detoxification(s) and/or alcohol related fits.
Reference to ICD10 F10.2 – F10.7 inclusive is relevant.

Group 1 enititlement ODL car, motorcycle
Alcohol dependence, confirmed by medical enquiry, requires licence revocation or refusal until a 1 year period free from alcohol problems has been attained. abstinence will normally be required, with normalisation of blood parameters, if relevant.

Note the use of the word "detoxification"
When they say "confirmed by medical enquiry" they do NOT mean the CDT test on its own, it also includes checks, where felt appropriate, with medical professionals which can include a GP or other professional who has been dealing with the medical problem. When a detox is evident twice within the past 10 months, then I am certain that Jimmy_s's doctor WOULD be contacted irrespective of the CDT result. He confirms the detox and the above DVLA standard kicks in.
Detox can take several forms, but surely the main criteria for a detox through your doctor or residential stay is "alcohol dependence"...... Which brings you back to the DVLA statement above, that evidence of alcohol dependence means a refusal of a driving licence for 12 months as I said originally,
Alcohol misuse can mean a 6 months wait, but alcohol dependence is a 12 months wait.
DVLA do issue licences to people who are "Amber" on he CDT test, after other medical enquiries, if felt appropriate, but the DO also refuse licences to people who are. "Green" where medical enquiry indicate that restoration of a licence in inappropriate.

 
Last edited:
Many thanks to M and price for their responses. I have now spoken to dr and have been advised to wait till mid next year so have cancelled my medical and application another year hey ho never mind my own fault. Once again many thanks for responses
 
ally said:
I am to high risk waiting. a medical what will be will be x
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Indeed Ally, you cant change the past, but you need to give yourself the best chance going forwards.

To do that you need to stay off alcohol for twelve weeks before the medical.

I am sure there are people who have abstained for less and passed, but twelve weeks is the recommended time scale to be safe.

M
 
Mclanelli said:
Indeed Ally, you cant change the past, but you need to give yourself the best chance going forwards.

To do that you need to stay off alcohol for twelve weeks before the medical.

I am sure there are people who have abstained for less and passed, but twelve weeks is the recommended time scale to be safe.

M
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my ban is up 16th July when would my medical be scheduled?
 
ally said:
my ban is up 16th July when would my medical be scheduled?
Click to expand...


You can start your application 90 days before your ban is due to end, at the earliest. So I believe that will be Monday 18th of April 2016. So you can send the D1 application and the £90 cheque from this date. The DVLA should write to you and send this application form out anyway. But they don't always do that.

Once they have received your D1 application and cashed your cheque, they will write to you with the name of a DVLA appointed doctor who can carry out your DVLA medical. The time it takes for you to receive this letter is around 4 to 6 weeks from when your D1 application is received. Note that if you send a postal order as opposed to a cheque, the process runs faster.

Once you have received the letter with DVLA appointed doctors details, you then have six weeks from the date on that letter in which to arrange and complete your medical.

I've seen people complete the whole process in under eight weeks; but it all depends on how smoothly everything runs.

M
 
Mclanelli said:
You can start your application 90 days before your ban is due to end, at the earliest. So I believe that will be Monday 18th of April 2016. So you can send the D1 application and the £90 cheque from this date. The DVLA should write to you and send this application form out anyway. But they don't always do that.

Once they have received your D1 application and cashed your cheque, they will write to you with the name of a DVLA appointed doctor who can carry out your DVLA medical. The time it takes for you to receive this letter is around 4 to 6 weeks from when your D1 application is received. Note that if you send a postal order as opposed to a cheque, the process runs faster.

Once you have received the letter with DVLA appointed doctors details, you then have six weeks from the date on that letter in which to arrange and complete your medical.

I've seen people complete the whole process in under eight weeks; but it all depends on how smoothly everything runs.

M
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i had a drink New Year's Eve nothing since, I don't intend to risk it!! thank you for the info, it's been a tough time one I will never forget, x
 
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