How to make a complaint about the DVLA medical assessment process

DVLA Medical a sham!

Convicted Driver Insurance
To get the results of your blood test (CDT percentage) you need to email a signed request to - eftd@dvla.gsi.gov.uk

As long as its got a siginature on it they have to provide the info by law. Put on the email that you want the results emailed back to you, its quicker but you still wait about 4 days for them.

Good luck!
 
Mickyy h said:
Yeah took me exactly 3 weeks don't stress :)
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Just a heads up got licence back to In post took 5 weeks from date of medical for eny one wanting to know. this just ask wee thanks to this forum and every one on it that has helped me through this will post any info if any one wants to know anything happy days
 
hi can anyone help me I had my medical on 4th September and they wrote to my doctor he has filled in all the details with my medication im on beta blockers and 1 zopiclone at night for anxiety.. the only negative thing on there is that i was to told to modify my drinking 3 years ago everything else he put no to.. how long do the DVLA go back with your records for.. I rang them today and they said it could take another few weeks my ban eneded 24th Septmember Im totally confused over this and dont know where I stand. Doctor said i never misused alcohol, never been treated, have no omedical conditions caused by alcohol.. so i dont know where I am with it
 
Hi everyone,

I am so down at the moment, just had an update from the DVLA, I feel like they are messing me about so much. A quick timeline:

- Applied for licence 1st July, as by end of August I would have completed 12 months with no alcohol (I was seriously dependent). Cheque cashed on 10th July.

- 4th September, eventually received update saying that they had written to my GP.

- 18th September GP wrote back and it was scanned onto the DVLA system a few days later.

Now today I have just received another update saying that it may take at least another 9 weeks due to the high volume of medical enquiries being assessed. I presume that after all this, they will write to me again asking to arrange a medical, wait for that appointment, and then wait for them to assess that before any final decision. That might not be this year!
I don't suppose there is anything I can do. Maybe phone them and ask to speak to someone in higher authority, or write to them? I feel like getting it off my chest anyway.

It's enough to drive you to drink (only joking).

Cheers

Peter
 
Peter L said:
Hi everyone,

I am so down at the moment, just had an update from the DVLA, I feel like they are messing me about so much. A quick timeline:

- Applied for licence 1st July, as by end of August I would have completed 12 months with no alcohol (I was seriously dependent). Cheque cashed on 10th July.

- 4th September, eventually received update saying that they had written to my GP.

- 18th September GP wrote back and it was scanned onto the DVLA system a few days later.

Now today I have just received another update saying that it may take at least another 9 weeks due to the high volume of medical enquiries being assessed. I presume that after all this, they will write to me again asking to arrange a medical, wait for that appointment, and then wait for them to assess that before any final decision. That might not be this year!
I don't suppose there is anything I can do. Maybe phone them and ask to speak to someone in higher authority, or write to them? I feel like getting it off my chest anyway.

It's enough to drive you to drink (only joking).

Cheers

Peter
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Also when they do reply as my ban was up Septemeber do they ask you to wait another 6 months from date of there descision or the date from when your ban ended its so not clear.

Vicky
 
vk1972 said:
Also when they do reply as my ban was up Septemeber do they ask you to wait another 6 months from date of there descision or the date from when your ban ended its so not clear.

Vicky
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Vicky

My ban ended years ago, its not relevant in this case now. What is annoying is that I have done what was required by them since end August 2013 in terms of not drinking, and you are just kept in the dark all the time.
 
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I got 0.8% but they still wrote out to my GP. Try not to worry, I got my lissence back 2 weeks after that :) As long as you have never mentioned alcohol problems to your GP in last 3 years you'll be fine
 
pollyfields said:
Hi..just got my results back. CDT 0.9% but they are writing to my doc..is this normal?
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I only got my licence through the post no info on anything else!! :/ but what I can say is I'm sure if it's under 1.3% you should be okay granted you've got no history with drink.. I just said no on all my questions in the medical and my licence arrived let me no how things go! All the best
 
Mickyy h said:
I only got my licence through the post no info on anything else!! :/ but what I can say is I'm sure if it's under 1.3% you should be okay granted you've got no history with drink.. I just said no on all my questions in the medical and my licence arrived let me no how things go! All the best
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Should be fine then as got nothing on my medical records :) Thank you!:)
 
Hi all! New to the site, had my medical an hour ago and doing some research on the journey home. I'm slightly worried now as the dr filled out the questionnaire herself. She answered yes to the 'ever had a drink problem' question after asking me and then going 'you must have done that's why you're here' and just ticked it ?. I have been off drink for roughly a year and my ban was 24months. Obviously I've had a few blowouts at Halloween Christmas and new year and I let her know of that. I also had one line of cocaine at Halloween and told her about that. I suppose al I can do it keep my fingers crossed!
 
Hi
That seems really unfair that she answered for you re the drink problem. Could that be open to legal challenge? Has your GP ever suggested you have a drink problem? They may want to check with GP.
 
lollychop26 said:
They contacted my GP too, I worried myself sh*tless about it.... but 1.5weeks after that got my licesce through the post, try not to worry think they chck with a lot of GP's now!
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Hi

Why did they contact your gp as under their traffic light system you have no problems with regaining your licence.
 
zena said:
Please could anyone tell me does the DVLA always contact your GP following the DVLA medical, I've received a letter telling they have written to my GP does this mean they weren't satisfied with my medical, I was honest in the questionairre saying that while I was suffering from depression I had told my doctor I was drinking too much wine.
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hi all i was banned in 1999 and moved to france 2000 got a french licence in 2002 came back to britian 2016 tried to change it back to uk one was told i need a medical hro just got results back saying slightly high so will not issue a uk one told to try in 6 months even though ive been driving 16 years full french licence no problem clean licence what a joke and wont give my french one back saying ime banned
 
lollychop26 said:
I got 0.8% but they still wrote out to my GP. Try not to worry, I got my lissence back 2 weeks after that :) As long as you have never mentioned alcohol problems to your GP in last 3 years you'll be fine
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Oh you're joking.

You've been ambushed with the traffic light system for CDT levels. Your CDT levels have been somewhere between 2.2 and 2.9. That is classed by the DVLA as indicative of alcohol misuse; and therefore your are excluded from reapplying for six months. If your CDT level had been over 2.9 then that would have been considered indicative of alcohol dependency; and you would have been excluded for reapplying for 12 months.

In order to get a CDT level of 2.2 or less you need to abstain from drinking alcohol for durations of between 4 to 12 weeks. Some people have abstained for the shorter periods and been okay; some haven't. Either way you need at least 4 weeks off alcohol before your blood test.

I'm guessing you didn't know this? Did you drink prior to the medical?

Unfortunately you will now have to wait for six months. Unless you are adamant that you haven't been drinking prior to the medical for a minimum of 4 weeks; in which case you could be one of the very few who gives a false positive to the test. In this instance you would need to consultant a GP and have further blood tests.

Its harsh that they have now snookered you in France. Its wrong, and I have my own opinions on this issue but I will keep them to myself, as the establishment, of which several contributors on this site represent, will have little sympathy, and get bent out of shape if I was to comment on legal challenges and options.

M
 
Mclanelli said:
Oh you're joking.

You've been ambushed with the traffic light system for CDT levels. Your CDT levels have been somewhere between 2.2 and 2.9. That is classed by the DVLA as indicative of alcohol misuse; and therefore your are excluded from reapplying for six months. If your CDT level had been over 2.9 then that would have been considered indicative of alcohol dependency; and you would have been excluded for reapplying for 12 months.

In order to get a CDT level of 2.2 or less you need to abstain from drinking alcohol for durations of between 4 to 12 weeks. Some people have abstained for the shorter periods and been okay; some haven't. Either way you need at least 4 weeks off alcohol before your blood test.

I'm guessing you didn't know this? Did you drink prior to the medical?

Unfortunately you will now have to wait for six months. Unless you are adamant that you haven't been drinking prior to the medical for a minimum of 4 weeks; in which case you could be one of the very few who gives a false positive to the test. In this instance you would need to consultant a GP and have further blood tests.

Its harsh that they have now snookered you in France. Its wrong, and I have my own opinions on this issue but I will keep them to myself, as the establishment, of which several contributors on this site represent, will have little sympathy, and get bent out of shape if I was to comment on legal challenges and options.

M
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my miff is my french licence is valid in uk for another 2 years ive commited no crime they are not judge and jury .and in my job we are tested randomly for drink and drugs always passed how can dvla tell you how to live our lives its a joke
and yes i had a couple of drinks as there docktor told me alchol is out of system in 24 hour
 
You are right, it is massively unfair, and the DVLA have no right to act as judge and jury, but they do.

The exclusion period is a nonsense, because the DVLA state that anyone who has been excluded for either period must undergo controlled and moderate drinking during that period; but how would they know? To pass the blood test you only need to stay alcohol free from four to twelve weeks before the medical; and yet they exclude you for either 26 or 52 weeks. That makes a mockery of the exclusion periods and the methodology behind them.


Alcohol can leave your system in 24 hours, but that is not what they test your blood for. They test your blood for an enzyme biomarker that is produced when too much alcohol is consumed. Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin or CDT is the actual blood test that is carried out.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate_deficient_transferrin

Someone needs to campaign and make the public aware of this HRO medical and flaws involved. If you fail, you should not be excluded from reapplying for such long periods; there is simply no need or benefit. In the case of a 12 month exclusion the DVLA are effectively keeping someone off the road for a longer period than what some actual drink drive bans last for. Its wrong, and all you get is a letter right? No advice no real explanation, just a basic letter. I bet they haven't even told you what your CDT level were have they? You need to request these results. Phone them (DVLA) back and ask them to confirm them, they are legally required to provide you with the results. You might have to request them in writing.

It winds me up because most of the doctors carrying out these medicals don't even bother to do a urine glucose test, which is a pre screen for type 2 diabetes, of which one in three people are undiagnosed. So they are allowing people to pass a medical who might be type 2, without conducting a 30 second test which can help to identify the problem. It disgraceful. Yet the DVLA have their own separate strict guidelines and protocol for type 2 diabetes; they just don't bother to display any real duty of care regarding this during a HRO medical that costs £120.00. It should be a compulsory test, but I guess they don't consider £120.00 to be worth potentially spotting a life threatening condition.


M
 
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