People with dementia aren't always elderly.There should be much more rigorous screening and testing of elderly drivers.
People with dementia aren't always elderly.There should be much more rigorous screening and testing of elderly drivers.
The Mental Capacity Act is vague about who makes decisions for a person who lacks capacity and also vague about who decides whether the person lacks capacity. It is not black and white. Family members may in many cases have the greatest insight into the patient's mental state because they spend far more time with the patient than any professional. What you say is right so far as health decisions are concerned. Decisions about where to live may be both health and financial decisions. My point here is that things are a bit more complicated than you suggest!A person having a diagnoses of Dementia doesn’t mean the Person lacks Capacity
Fortunately for that reason the Person is protected by Mental Capacity Act.
The person living with dementia maintains the right to make his or her own decisionsas long as he or she has legal capacity.
family members and other people close to that Person (including your next of kin) don’t have any legal authority to make decisions about that Persons care or treatment if they lack capacity.
Although family members should be consulted, the healthcare professional doesn’t have to follow what they say.
The only way to give someone the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf is by making an LPA or a Welfare Power of Attorney if you live in Scotland.
Advising DVLA & sending Form CG1.
My husband has advised DVLA via their web site about his recent diagnosis of Early Stage Alzheimer's. They have replied by email, saying they can't progress the matter via email and that he should ring the number they give for their medical department. Whenever he rings the number, all the lines are engaged! And this week, they are on industrial action!
I know from the DVLA web site there is a questionnaire/ form CG1 that he may need to complete. Does anyone know if it needs to be sent in, IF you only have EARLY STAGE Alzheimer's?
Thank you.
Dear Sue. Thanks very much for your detailed reply. It seems lots of people are having difficulty communicating with DVLA ! We have kept copies of the messages we have sent via their web site and also logged when we tried to ring them. My husband is still safe driving and we have advised our car insurance company (no problem with them). He has another appointment with the Memory Consultant a week from now, so we'll see what she says.I too have been trying to contact DVLA by phone for advice on how and whether to register my husband's (not yet strictly diagnosed) condition and get told they are not dealing with calls - I am logging the date of each time I try. If I felt my husband's driving was dangerous I would make more of an effort (although not sure how - perhaps write a letter?) but as he still drives well and driving is one of the few things he loves that he can do within COVID restrictions I am loathe to risk some tick box response to my informing them of a potential problem (as in a previous post where someone's licence was cancelled and later reinstated). He has his first memory clinic appointment in a week though as it is a telephone appointment I'm not sure if I will get a chance to say anything or if they will consider his driving. My husband is completely blocking the idea that there is anything wrong mentally and was able to renew his driving licence himself online. My feeling is that if the DVLA cannot provide information on how a third party can register an illness and won't respond to phone calls or in your case e-mails I am putting this concern to one side while he is still driving competently. I even contacted the driving assessment organisation directly to see if I could arrange a private assessment but the promised form did not turn up. I could have followed up but I had then realised that he would not go anyway. I know this is all not very helpful to you but at least you know that others have similar problems. My advice would depend on how competent your husband is to drive - you could arrange a private assessment (costs about £80) or your GP/consultant may be able to refer you in which case you wouldn't have to pay. Otherwise I would seek advice from your consultant as to whether he needs to complete the form - the consultant may not feel it is necessary at this stage - it seems from other replies to my original post that if the consultant feels there is a problem they will advise the DVLA or at least tell you that you must inform them. I hope this is helpful and that you will make the most of every day you have while your husband is relatively ok.
Thanks very much for this. It's very encouraging to hear you are still driving after 22 years. Best wishes.Hi Helen-D its several years ago I did my fist notification to DVLA still have copy see attached but it 2005 this was a consent form so the DVLA giving permission for DVLA to contact my GP obviously thing could have change today but we still have Data protection Helen-D just as a matter of interest I’m still driving after being diagnosed almost 22 years ago in July so be positive.
Thanks very much for this. It's very encouraging to hear you are still driving after 22 years. Best wishes.
Hi @Sue741215 i am in exactly the same situation as you. My husband had an mri on 23rd december 2020 we saw the Psychiatrist at the memory clinic in february we were told that they suspect Frontal Lobe dementia and hydrocephalus. I have spoken to the gp and the Psychiatrist and they are saying that its a grey area as waiting for PETCT and neurologist. My husband also has untreated sleep apnea and Cardiomyopathy, but not one consultant or gp has yet to say that he is not to drive. We have a neurologist appointment at the end of this month so this question will be at the top of my agenda. In fact when i discussed my concerns with the GP as to if we should be advising the DVLA he asked me if I had any concerns about his driving..I too have been trying to contact DVLA by phone for advice on how and whether to register my husband's (not yet strictly diagnosed) condition and get told they are not dealing with calls - I am logging the date of each time I try. If I felt my husband's driving was dangerous I would make more of an effort (although not sure how - perhaps write a letter?) but as he still drives well and driving is one of the few things he loves that he can do within COVID restrictions I am loathe to risk some tick box response to my informing them of a potential problem (as in a previous post where someone's licence was cancelled and later reinstated). He has his first memory clinic appointment in a week though as it is a telephone appointment I'm not sure if I will get a chance to say anything or if they will consider his driving. My husband is completely blocking the idea that there is anything wrong mentally and was able to renew his driving licence himself online. My feeling is that if the DVLA cannot provide information on how a third party can register an illness and won't respond to phone calls or in your case e-mails I am putting this concern to one side while he is still driving competently. I even contacted the driving assessment organisation directly to see if I could arrange a private assessment but the promised form did not turn up. I could have followed up but I had then realised that he would not go anyway. I know this is all not very helpful to you but at least you know that others have similar problems. My advice would depend on how competent your husband is to drive - you could arrange a private assessment (costs about £80) or your GP/consultant may be able to refer you in which case you wouldn't have to pay. Otherwise I would seek advice from your consultant as to whether he needs to complete the form - the consultant may not feel it is necessary at this stage - it seems from other replies to my original post that if the consultant feels there is a problem they will advise the DVLA or at least tell you that you must inform them. I hope this is helpful and that you will make the most of every day you have while your husband is relatively ok.
Again another grey area, it depends on the Epworth Sleepiness score. The lung function consultant said that she was allowing him to drive as he had a low Epworth score , but that it was his responsibility NOT to drive if he was sleepy! She was aware that he had been referred to the Memory Clinic.Irrespective of a diagnosis of dementia (or not), the DVLA should also be made aware of sleep apnoea, as should insurers.