1 year licence renewal

Convicted Driver Insurance

Taffyt1980

New Member
Hi all

I’m coming to the end of my first one year medical licence and I’m wondering whether I’m likely to be told I need to medical again?

I had my licence suspended because of mental health concerns (bipolar diagnosis) and I stupidly disclosed on the form that I’d gone through a period of 5 months self medication with alcohol. Boom, instant 12 months sobriety.

Anyway, two years of messing about and absolute sobriety later and they sent me for a medical and I received my 1 year licence.

I’m a controlled drinker (in comparison to past intake), drink twice a week, usually no more than three pints on a Wednesday when I play snooker and on a Friday or a Saturday when my neighbour pops over and we have a four pack and a jack or two each. Some weeks I don’t drink at all, depends on what’s happening at home really

My question is two fold, is this intake likely to raise CDT? I went for a drink for a colleagues leaving do last weekend and we drank quite a bit, can’t remember how much (circa13/14 pints I’d imagine over 12 hours). How long would you leave it until you agree to a medical with this binge and usual intake considered? I don’t think my use is excessive day to day, but then I’d like advice on whether you agree if poss.

I work in public sector so can’t be without my licence. Medical licence doesn’t expire until end of December so if I time it correctly I should be okay right!?

TIA

Taff
 
You say: ‘ 5 months self medication with alcohol. Boom, instant 12 months sobriety’….. what were you classed as? Was it alcohol misuse or alcohol dependency?
If it was the former, then you should be OK as you only have to demonstrate 6 months controlled drinking.
If it was the latter, then you have to abstain from alcohol for the past 12 months.
The significance is that if you were classed as alcohol dependent, they will be looking for a lower CDT score, under 1% and you will have to prepare more for the medical.
If you were classed as alcohol dependent, your drinking will see you refused another licence after your medical. You can say you have not been drinking at all to try to get away with it, but a score of above 1% will give your away as lying.
Even if your regular drinking is not raising your CDT score a lot (but it will be raising it above 1%)Your binge weekend will raise your score for 2 weeks certainly.
So you are asking how long you can leave your drinking as it is before the test. I note that you say: “ I work in public sector so can’t be without my licence.” and you want to “time it right”.
You like a drink, you NEED your licence, there is no time like the present………
 
You say: ‘ 5 months self medication with alcohol. Boom, instant 12 months sobriety’….. what were you classed as? Was it alcohol misuse or alcohol dependency?
If it was the former, then you should be OK as you only have to demonstrate 6 months controlled drinking.
If it was the latter, then you have to abstain from alcohol for the past 12 months.
The significance is that if you were classed as alcohol dependent, they will be looking for a lower CDT score, under 1% and you will have to prepare more for the medical.
If you were classed as alcohol dependent, your drinking will see you refused another licence after your medical. You can say you have not been drinking at all to try to get away with it, but a score of above 1% will give your away as lying.
Even if your regular drinking is not raising your CDT score a lot (but it will be raising it above 1%)Your binge weekend will raise your score for 2 weeks certainly.
So you are asking how long you can leave your drinking as it is before the test. I note that you say: “ I work in public sector so can’t be without my licence.” and you want to “time it right”.
You like a drink, you NEED your licence, there is no time like the present………
Hi Price

Thanks for your reply.

Was classed (rightly or wrongly) as alcohol misuse but with the mental health they mandated a 12 month period of abstinence. I think their classification is woolly at best. It’s a subjective opinion made by someone who knows nothing about that individual other than what’s written on paper, which is again based on subjective opinion.

I’ve been told today by DVLA that the application process is likely to take a minimum of 6-8 weeks due to strikes and backlog. This would ordinarily be a massive issue but they have pointed me in the direction of the Road Traffic Act 1988 section 88 and stated that I can still drive whilst I’m waiting. I’m going to go full abstinent until my medical from here. I’m not adverse to stopping. I don’t drink because I have to, I drink because I enjoy it. I could live without it not a problem so this 8 weeks plus will be a nice change to not be able to.

I work for MoJ in public protection so as I say I don’t routinely drink every day. Generally twice a week and some weeks/months not at all.

When I said ‘time it right’ what I meant was ‘leave it as long as possible’ before the test. Bad choice of words on my part.

The lady at DVLA was nice and reports that the medical backlog is quite extensive so not to expect anything imminently. This suits me with section 88 option to be honest.

The thing that makes me smile is that in CDT terms, most drinkers would fail. It’s probably a very narrow minority of people that would pass. It’s us unfortunate souls with mental health and historic requisite issues that come under the magnifying glass that are penalised.

Ridiculous really!
 
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