DVLA request to attend "full medical examination" - and they're paying for it

[Newleaf]

Hi
I got done 10+ years ago and had a 36 month ban reduced to 24 months by doing the course. Usual questionnaires to fill in every year to get a 1 year licence, and I have been on 1 years licenses for about 10 years. I have an old history of alcohol dependence (detox and rehab) 20 years ago, but fine since then. I have a diagnosis of PTSD which has been in remission (not a problem) for a number of years and I've taken the same antidepressant medication for this for donkeys years and declare it every time. I drink every Wednesday at the pub quiz, 4 pints of lager. That's it other than a rare special occasion/night out. My GP is cool, and knows alcohol isn't problematic for me, and even wrote some harsh letters to DVLA last time I had to renew as DVLA said they were refusing my license for illogical reasons that weren't based on evidence. DVLA did give me a one year in the end, which ran out start of March. GP has said there is no reason for me not to drive as there is no current evidence of anything other than a man with a healthy lifestyle who drinks less than Govt guidelines, who has a good stable job, relationship, is good at pub quizzes etc etc. Every year I get the DR1 form from DVLA I get a questionnaire about seizures. I've never had one, and tell them that every time. They sent me forms to renew my 1 year licence in December 2018, and I scrawled across the page "I've never had a seizure and don't know why you have sent me this form". I've had the standard update letters form DVLA "we've contacted your GP", "We've chased your GP", etc. Today I got a letter from DVLA telling me I need to have a "full medical examination" with a doctor of their choosing. The letter says DVLA are paying for this medical. As I'd never heard of them paying for it before, I phoned the DVLA call centre to ask what the medical examination entails and what blood tests will be done. The chap said it is because evidence shows I have history as HRO, have history of alcohol AND drug dependency (I've never taken drugs in my life and alcohol dependence was 20 years ago) and have an 'anxiety disorder'. He was not able to say what blood tests are being done even though I gave the question in words of 2 syllables or less, 4 times. (for example, is it a CDT test? is it a LFT test? Is it a test for herpes? (my patience was worn thin by this point)) "Its cos you've got history as HRO" was his standard answer. So I have no clue what blood test they are doing. It could be CDT or it could be something else entirely. I've made an appointment to see my GP on Saturday to see if they can shed any light on it. Has anyone here got a clue on what I might expect when I attend this "full medical examination" which DVLA is paying for?
Thanks.
PS. I've put in a GDPR request to DVLA to see the info they have on me as I'm rather angry that they are now saying I've got drug dependence too! I'm also wondering just how long our history is allowed to haunt us at the DVLA

 

[diesel2]

Wow, ten years is ridiculous, but that’s dvla for you.
After you get the info from the dvla request, and if there is nothing obvious, your options would be a magistrates court via a specialist solicitor (you get this option every time dvla make a decision) or to formally complain to dvla; this route will get you eventually to an independent complaints assessor, who will not be able to investigate medical decisions (yes I know, ridiculous again), but it will mean the complaints process is exhausted and you can then go to the PHSO via your MP (who has to agree before it goes forward).
Frankly the phso are even slower and more inept than dvla, and struggle with even the bleedin obvious, so if you can afford it the magistrates court could be the best and quickest option.

You could of course just try your local MP straight off, especially as you have the support of your gp, who might be willing to write a letter in support of your predicament? Just depends how good your MP is. Nothing to lose by trying.

Just for giggles, I kept getting requests for information on which vehicle adaptations were needed……I never had any physical disabilities. Also, at the end of the phso debacle, I made a data request from the phso and received 140 BLANK pages! WTF just doesn’t cover it.
Oh, and it will be a CDT test.
Hope this helps.

 

[Newleaf]

Hi diesel
Unfortunately for me its now become a routine yearly filling in the DR1 and getting a 1 year license ever since I could apply for my license after the ban. Thankfully, my original DUI ban is soooooo old that my GP can say I can still drive even if when my license has expired and they are taking forever with their enquiries. Every December the DR1 would drop on my doormat, I'd fill it in, they'd go back and forth with my GP and usually by March my license just arrived. Last year was different for some unknown reason and it got refused, until I formally complained and my GP wrote his harsh letter to them. As he said, absence of evidence is not evidence that something is happening. So this year is the 10th time I have had to re-apply, but this is the first time they've wanted me to go see their doctor. Maybe they got p***** off that my GP got stroppy last year and I complained. Who knows. Anyway, I'll go to the medical examination as requested, and tell yet another person no, no, no, no, no, to every single DVLA question! Even though I'm not a big drinker I will have few weeks dry just for the sake of the CDT. The thought of a pub quiz without a beer fills me with more dread than the medical. It'll be interesting to see what comes back in the GDPR request and if there's anything inaccurate (ie drug misuse has now cropped up!) I'll go to town on it with them.

 

[Newleaf]

I've just received a response from DVLA to see the records they hold about me. It took them less than2 weeks. In it, a form completed 6 years ago by my GP surgery by a doctor I have never met, says I have epilepsy and had 4 fits in the space of 7 days. I can assure you I haven't and I don't have epilepsy either. The same form completed a year beforehand by the GP says I don't have epilepsy, and the 5 forms completed after it say I don't as well. Needless to say a rather harsh letter has gone off to DVLA ordering them to remove inaccurate information about me from their records. I'll be having words with my GP too, but as I saw them on Saturday and they've signed me good to drive under section 88, I'll leave it for now ;-)