DVLA Medical High Risk Offender Licence Application Timescale

Convicted Driver Insurance
In the past I would have said to ring them to query it, but in these covid times that is extremely difficult. Have you checked your driving licence history online to see what is recorded ther for convictions?
Do you have a solicitors etter stating that he represented you, and what you were convicted of? I just have concerns that a drink drive conviction went through while you were focussed on the dangerous driving aspect and it did not register with you….
 
In the past I would have said to ring them to query it, but in these covid times that is extremely difficult. Have you checked your driving licence history online to see what is recorded ther for convictions?
Do you have a solicitors etter stating that he represented you, and what you were convicted of? I just have concerns that a drink drive conviction went through while you were focussed on the dangerous driving aspect and it did not register with you….
Here's my two bans.
 

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And the new letter they sent, plus my bans which are both expired and spent.
 

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I am trying to think of a scenario where DVLA could be correct…. And failing!
I see you paid £34, which is the fee for an online application, otherwise it is £43 for a paper application.
I have considered if the correct fee should be for an application “after disqualification” (as shown on page 4 of the D1), but that is for £65 not £90 because of there being no HRO process…… but they say they want £90.

The online process is for applying for a provisional licence, but is not available for applying for your licence back after disqualification. I am wondering it it ended up in the wrong department and the person dealing did not look at the records properly.
To be honest, for the sake of expediency, I would be inclined to send them the balance with a covering letter pointing out that it appears to be an error on their part, and if they send you your provisional licence without correcting their mistake then you can raise a complaint. If you do not send the money now, but complain straight away, it could delay your application for weeks.
That is perhaps not what you want to hear, but it is the practical way to deal with the situation……
 
Morning everyone

I've just been reading some of the recent comments on here and it does bring back some painful memories for me from late last year.

The DVLA situation has been flagged up a few times recently in the press and media. There was an edition of the BBC One Show earlier this month where they raised the issue of the DVLA waiting times for driving licence applications. There was no specific mention of HRO's - I'm sure raising sympathy for drink drivers on a prime time BBC One programme isn't a wise move!?!?!?!

The general issue is that the DVLA are taking industrial action with their employers over the unsafe environments they have forced people to work in during the Covid pandemic. The BBC One Show seem to suggest the 'standoff' is likely to rumble on for sometime, so it isn't great for those of you reaching the end of a drink driving ban who need a HRO medical.

I've been through the grinder myself and waited a further month beyond the end of my ban to finally get back on the road.

Just some tips for those of you presently in this situation -

- The DVLA Medical Team number is a friggin nightmare to get through on. If you ring it - an automated voice states lines are busy and to call back later. If you just constantly hang up and redial, you will eventually 'trip' onto a waiting system where you will be in a 'queue' for friggin ages before getting through to one of the Swansea team.

I've never understood why the DVLA line does this - if you just repeatedly ring the Medical Team number, you should by the law of averages, just get onto the queue system. Please just set aside some time and leave the phone on loud speaker, while you potter about the house. The DVLA can have you waiting in a queue for over thirty minutes before someone answers.

- When the DVLA allocated me a HRO doctor in Preston, the surgery receptionist stated they could not make an appointment for me for the foreseeable future. Through the help of another forum member on here, I found an alternative DVLA approved doctor in Southport who had a diary with available appointments. However, the DVLA would not let me 'switch' doctors - I complained to Tim Burton (who is the DVLA Medical Team Manager) via e-mail and I was then allowed to change DVLA approved doctors.

The UK is not subject to any Covid restrictions anymore, so in theory there is nothing to stop HRO's travelling to the other side of the Country to have their medicals. People waiting to renew their licences can usually drive under Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, but as a HRO coming to the end of a ban you do not have that luxury.

What the Medical Team at Swansea don't really appreciate is that many of us can be put in precarious positions by keeping us off the road longer than necessary. In my case, my job was at risk and it was prolonging unnecessary inconvenience for my 65-year-old mother who was having to drive me to work at 6 O'clock in the morning!!!! Therefore, it is vital that you put a good case across to Tim Burton explaining your personal issues concerned and the impact on others.

- When the DVLA write to your GP - please, please, make contact with your GP, go through the questions with them and most importantly of all - make sure the GP has sent the form back to Swansea!?!?!?!

I had a telephone appointment with my GP in mid December 2020, where she went through a few of the questions. She then stated she would then return the form to Swansea. Because the DVLA Medical Team have a Christmas break, I re-contacted them the second week in January 2021 to be told they were still awaiting contact from my GP, so could not move forward with my case.

I then rung my GP surgery and after a couple of difficult phone calls - I was advised my medical form was still in the GP's correspondence tray!!!! What I was told by Price1367, is that GP's have a 4-6 week time frame to complete your medical questionnaire, so the point I'm making is please make sure your GP has returned the form!!!! It does feel like you become a thorn in the side of your GP surgery, but it is imperative that you keep on at them to get this done as it can delay your case.

I hope I have shared some useful points on here of my own experience of the DVLA Medical Team. Good luck to those of you on here waiting to get back on the road. It is a horrible experience, but in an adverse way - it does re-enforce the message that none us want to ever find ourselves in this situation again.

CJ
Exactly what CJ said is 100% my experience. Keep on at everyone at every step of the way.
 
I am trying to think of a scenario where DVLA could be correct…. And failing!
I see you paid £34, which is the fee for an online application, otherwise it is £43 for a paper application.
I have considered if the correct fee should be for an application “after disqualification” (as shown on page 4 of the D1), but that is for £65 not £90 because of there being no HRO process…… but they say they want £90.

The online process is for applying for a provisional licence, but is not available for applying for your licence back after disqualification. I am wondering it it ended up in the wrong department and the person dealing did not look at the records properly.
To be honest, for the sake of expediency, I would be inclined to send them the balance with a covering letter pointing out that it appears to be an error on their part, and if they send you your provisional licence without correcting their mistake then you can raise a complaint. If you do not send the money now, but complain straight away, it could delay your application for weeks.
That is perhaps not what you want to hear, but it is the practical way to deal with the situation……
Yeah ill do that, thanks, ill probably give them a ring on Monday morning as I think some kind of mix up has happened.
 
You can try ringing, but if you look at other posts on here, you will see that people have tried dozens of times before they get through on the phone because of reduced staff and the strike, sometimes not getting through even then.
That is why I suggested paying the full amount stated but sending a note with it, then complaining if they still cash the other cheque.
Of course if you are not in any hurry to get your licence back then argue that they are wrong first.
 
You can try ringing, but if you look at other posts on here, you will see that people have tried dozens of times before they get through on the phone because of reduced staff and the strike, sometimes not getting through even then.
That is why I suggested paying the full amount stated but sending a note with it, then complaining if they still cash the other cheque.
Of course if you are not in any hurry to get your licence back then argue that they are wrong first.
Well, I just rang up and got into an argument over this. The DVLA guy seemed to think any two driving bans in a 10 year period constitutes a high risk offender. I informed him thats not what it states on this forum or on the government website. I was just about to give in and he asked if I wanted to be transferred to the DVLA court section. I got though to them and they instantly said “no” this is an error on our side. You aren’t a high risk offender and that it has been cancelled. I think what’s happened they have looked at my old licence and seen drink driving on it and assumed it was two drink drives. I was very lucky though as they were adamant at first nothing could be done.
 
Well done, and the biggest congratulations come for actually getting through to DVLA !!
 
Well, I just rang up and got into an argument over this. The DVLA guy seemed to think any two driving bans in a 10 year period constitutes a high risk offender. I informed him thats not what it states on this forum or on the government website. I was just about to give in and he asked if I wanted to be transferred to the DVLA court section. I got though to them and they instantly said “no” this is an error on our side. You aren’t a high risk offender and that it has been cancelled. I think what’s happened they have looked at my old licence and seen drink driving on it and assumed it was two drink drives. I was very lucky though as they were adamant at first nothing could be done.
Yes . Well done . I do think that they are answering more now , so for anyone who wants to call , it is worth persevering .
 
Hi all, has anyone made a complaint to the medical department recently and how long did it take to get a response? Thanks
 
I'm still waiting on an acknowledgement of my level 3 complaint as the response to levels 1 and 2 were nonsensical. (Despite being informed TWICE by the relevant court, DVLA still insisting I am banned.) Supposed to happen in under two weeks, coming up to two months now. So fed up am going straight to level 4 which has to have my MPs involvement but will be strongly encouraging them to contact the dire DVLA directly. It's so frustrating. Add on the three-ish month wait for the medical results to be processed and I've lost just about a year of being licensed which is having an extremely negative impact on job searching.
Oh I'm so sorry to read you're getting no where 😩 sounds like an absolute nightmare I really hope you get some good news soon.
 
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Can someone help me by telling me what % is a pass on cdt levels for a hro? I read on one of these posts that they have changed the pass markers. I have no history of misuse or dependence.
 
Can someone help me by telling me what % is a pass on cdt levels for a hro? I read on one of these posts that they have changed the pass markers. I have no history of misuse or dependence.

There used to be a set traffic light system. However, what has been found in the last year or so is that a pass for some has been a fail for others. It seems to be on a case by case basis of how they consider you, no history/misuser/dependence all have. People have passed with 1%, people have also failed with 1%. We can't really give you the green, amber or red percentages only an estimate.
 
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