How to make a complaint about the DVLA medical assessment process

DVLA Medical done today

Convicted Driver Insurance
I think the answer is that they do not expect you to take your own blood.
They offer a CDT test for £79, which can’t be done unless you have someone who has, and can use a syringe for you. (Probably at a cost)
What you can have is a test for £118, taken by a nurse, but of course that looks rather expensive which is why they show the headline £79 in their adverts........
 
price1367 said:
I think the answer is that they do not expect you to take your own blood.
They offer a CDT test for £79, which can’t be done unless you have someone who has, and can use a syringe for you. (Probably at a cost)
What you can have is a test for £118, taken by a nurse, but of course that looks rather expensive which is why they show the headline £79 in their adverts........
Click to expand...
Ok, so when it says they can send a nurse out to you for the extra £39 pounds, I am able to choose that part at the check-out? Im busy putting my details in now, but for some reason it wont let me "check out".... All very frustrating as after 37 long months the finishing line is so very close!
 
Sorry, I have not been through that myself so I cannot help on that.
 
I
Rosie said:
Hi, received my licence renewal application today and have decided to go down the medichecks route first, but on looking at the website it says you have to draw your own blood through a vein with a needle... how on earth can a layperson, with no nursing knowledge do that?
I havent been to my GP for past 3 years for anything as i didnt want anything on record if the DVLA decide to contact my doctor to see if I had been in past 3 years, so I cant go to him as it would be on record that Id been to "see a doctor for something alcohol related in the past 3 years"...
I did see an option where you can pay an extra £39 to get a nurse from medichecks to come out to you.. has anyone done this?
It all seems a bit odd... even my son said he was gobsmacked that the medichecks people expect you to draw your own blood with no experience whatsoever... very confused as to a way forward now!
Click to expand...
I paid an extra 25 quid for a 'partner' clinic to take my blood, it was my local hospital. X
 
Rosie, I booked mine today, and the nurse is coming to my house a week on Friday. I chose this £39 because the £25 to visit a local clinic, plus taxis each way would cost more. There is a £0 option, but that is for you to make your own arrangements to get the blood drawn, not for you to do it yourself.
 
Thanks guys,
Yes Ive had a look at nearest places and like you DK, the taxis each way would end up costing me more so I think I'll go for the option of the nurse coming to me.
Did either of you have a problem with the "check out" screen? Ive filled in all details correctly but it doesnt seem to take me onto any payment screen.. mind, it could be my laptop! I'll email them to say Im having issues checking out.
Thanks again :)
 
Yeah, the checkout thing doesn’t do anything, or give any error messages until you fill it in right. It confused me for a bit too. There is a Ts&Cs tickbox that I never noticed for a while.
 
If you speak to your GP surgery and ask for a private nurse appointment they may oblige.

I would probably say as a nurse that if you have good veins taking your own blood isn't actually difficult. However, don't get me wrong, I'm definitely pleased I practiced on other people rather than myself. :giggle:
 
Sorry to hijack a thread, just a quick question for typsynurse.
For the standard LFT's, which are also offered by medichecks, is there more than one testing method for these too? I guess what I am asking is would the venous sample through medichecks be just as accurate as one through the nhs route? (Nothing to do with dvla, CDT or alcohol)
 
LFTs are actually over a dozen individual tests. Medicheck don't disclose anything about the tests they use or even the lab they use.

Again though they are probably good enough to be indicative. The issue I would have is more that anyone can tell you a number and what the normal range would be. However, all doctors and nurses would refuse to say an "interpretation" without knowing about the patient's medical history.

Indeed I note that under the "interpretation" heading they actually instead offer a "comment" instead.

Because of that personally I would see it as having little worth - albeit I am used to seeing a screen with test results, all the previous results, and knowledge of the patient. Personally I would struggle to give meaningful analysis without all those three things.

CDT is slightly different in that you already know how much you drink, almost all people are presumably only checking in advance of a DVLA test. It's effectively getting an answer for the DVLA that you already know. You can't know your liver function without tests.
 
Ok thanks tipsynurse. Only pondering different options to gain control and monitor my own liver function (for medication not alcohol) and keeping it confidential.
 
If you are concerned I would speak to your GP but I would bear two things in mind. Firstly, in general if a cheap blood test could spot an expensive chronic illness developing it would be routine on the NHS.

Secondly, you would need to know whether the medication meant you needed to have a more restrictive or more relaxed reference range on the different tests in the LFT. Without that the test is effectively worthless because, if your medication effects your liver, it could well be expected that some of the values are outside normal parameters.

The problem is as a doctor or nurse the computer will highlight values that are, on paper, abnormal, but acting just on that would be like writing a book review when you've read one chapter. You have to take a more considered view.
 
jamie1234 said:
Called the DVLA again today.....
They were pleased to inform me that today I was issued with a new clean driving license!
No problems with the results or Doctors. No follow up medical in a years time!!

I'm well chuffed, and it does show you don't have to completely abstain ?
Click to expand...
 
Dazler 31 said:
Im hro i got done for drink driving
Click to expand...

Ok, have you done the medical? What was in the medical or what you put in the questionnaire that is making DVLA seek further information? Perhaps you have seen a consultant for something, or there are medical problems that need them to seek specialist advice?
 
jamie1234 said:
Hello!

I thought I'd share my experience of the DVLA CDT Medical I had today.
Sat down with an independent GP who asked me some questions such as when was your last drink, how often I drink, how many times do I drink over 8+ units per year.
Have you ever been to the Doctors about alcohol problems, do you take drugs or smoke cannabis, does anyone have concerns about your drinking. No no no to everything.
She took my blood pressure, checked my pulse, breathing, quick eye test, felt around my liver area and then took the blood.

I told her I'd had 2 pints last friday and 3 weeks ago I was on holiday and had a few beers around the pool on an afternoon and she said that's not a problem.
She said we are looking for people with alcohol dependancies with this test, people who drink everyday and CANNOT stop.
She then filled a form out for the DVLA and showed me that she is telling them no concerns.
Asked for my Doctors, and I told her who I am with but have not been in 10 years! She said thats fine the DVLA wont bother writing to them then as there is no point.

She said I should here back from the DVLA within 4 weeks.

Before I booked my medical I was drinking about 4 beers per evening near enough every evening.
I've gone about 7-8 weeks with a limited amount per week (some weeks 2 pints) and the holiday about 4 bottles of bud light per day.

I'm very confident in what the results will be and I'll come back and let you know what they are.
Click to expand...
Good luck and thanks for sharing your experience
 
TipsyNurse said:
Viapath, the DVLAs lab provider, use a process called capillary electrophoresis which is the gold standard in CDT testing.

Medichecks AFAIK don't disclose their method which probably means it is either chromatography or turbidimetric/enzyme immunoassay. This is less accurate than electrophoresis but bearing in mind most people paying Medichecks want an indicative result it is probably good enough.

The minimum level of CDT in a teetotal person is about 0.6%. I have said before on here I believe milk thistle slightly raises CDT if it makes any difference. You will never get 0% CDT, alcohol increases CDT, not entirely creates it.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Enter code DRINKDRIVING10 during checkout for 10% off
Top