DVLA medical/assesment

[creativesarah]

Hi

We have a friend staying with us who is 39 with Early Onset Alz
he has had a letter from the DVLA asking him to go for a medical/ assesment
has anyone been through one or knows what the medical entails, so I can help him be prepared for it ?
Thanks Sarah

 

[grove]

Hello Sarah , Am sorry not able to help your Friend very much however do have an idea ! ! ! why not go on the D V L A Web Page it is meant to be very useful & you might find "A few clues " on the Web Page about the Medical / Assement etc ! ........ This is all New to Sarah so not much help !

When Dad was not safe Driving any more this is what i did :

* Told Dad's G P he was not safe any more to Drive

* The G P then filled out a Medical Form / Letter for D V L A

* Dad & Mum had a "Appt " about Dad's bad / unsafe Driving , & think it was more the G P that got Dad to not Drive any more

Hope your friend gets some help / advice soon & Good Luck to your Friend !

( Just another IDEA is the Assement to see how SAFE your friend is at Driving ?
Dad had a chance for a " Driving Re Test " but did not go cos Mum knew he would Fail
Hope that helps ! Love Grove x x Do Post again to tell us how your friend got on ! !

 

[Jo1958]

Oh goodness Sarah, so young.
Grove's advise is good, have a look online and see what the rules and regs. are. If he is confident about driving I'm sure that is what matters, when and if he starts to worry about his road sense I think that is the time to think about stopping.

Have a lovely Christmas, with festive best wishes from Jo

 

[Countryboy]

Dvla

Being given a diagnosis of dementia does not automatically exclude you from driving; however there is a legal obligation that you must inform the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) of the diagnosis. The car insurance company must also be informed immediately.

If you have a diagnosis of dementia, and want to continue driving, the DVLA will undertake a medical investigation. The DVLA will ask for your consent for its medical advisors to send a form to your doctor and specialists.

Depending on the answers on your form may also need to take a special driving assessment.

It may issue a new driving licence that will be valid for a limited period of one year.

I have been through this routine myself every year since October 2000

 

[grove]

Hello Sarah , Is your Friend still hoping to carry on Driving ? only asking because you did not say on your Thread ! ! Gess with lots of Holidays & D V L A Shut etc your Friend will not get much "Real Help " untill after the New Year Holiday 's !

Love Grove x x

 

[Countryboy]

Dvla

Hi this is what your first letter from the DVLA looks like just asking for you consent to
contact you GP or Consultant my first letter was in March 2000 it was October 2000 befor DVLA completed the
paper work and granted a licence for 12 months ( you can still drive during the period until dvla make there decision )

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre
Drivers Medical Branch
Swansea SA99 ITU
Fax: 01792 761100
Telephone: 08702411879
Reference: 59(\!OE/ ********
Date: 29 March 2000




Dear Mr ***********
Thank you for letting us know about the change in your health. This means that
we now need to make enquiries, in the strictest confidence, into your medical
fitness to continue driving
What we need first from you is you: consent to contact your doctors and specialists
releasing relevant details about your health to the Medical Adviser if he or she
decides that medical reports are necessary. Will you please therefore fill in and sign
the enclosed form and send it to me in the envelope provided.
If you do not do this we may have to withdraw your licence.
It may take some time to complete our enquiries. You are therefore urged to seek
specific advise from your doctors or specialists about whether or not you should
drive in the meantime.
When the enquiries are complete a decision will be taken about your licence and
you will of course be informed, The possibilities arer-
your licence could continue as now
your licence could be withdrawn normally for a specified period
your licence could be withdrawn, but be replaced on acceptance by a new
one. This might run for one, two or three years
your licence could indicate that special controls need to be fitted to the
vehicles you drive
If your licence is withdrawn, or if you are offered one running for a shorter period,
you may have a right of appeal. Please note that if you passed your driving test
before 1 January 1997 and your licence has to be withdrawn/refused or restricted
in ,any way , your entitlement to drive vehicle, between 3.5 and 7.S tonnes and
minibuses for hire or reward] cannot be retained unless you. can meet the
higher health standards required of professional drivers, ( if your licence I.S to be
restricted, further details about this change will be sent to you when medical
enquiries are complete).
If you have any queries, please write to me at the above address or telephone me,
giving the reference on this letter.
Yours sincerely
N Brooks


The Law
Section 94(4) (5) of the
Road Traffic Act 1988
Section 94 ( 8) of the
Road Traffic Act 1988
D232
Rev. Mar 2000





*********


3/5

 

[creativesarah]

thank you Tony

thank you so much Tony
My friend asked me to ask you what did the medical entail?
all he knows is they want a urine sample!!!

 

[carpe diem]

Hi Sarah, I have not heard of people being asked to go for a medical assesment so I'm not much help.
Normally the consultant or GP has to give the DVLA some information about the persons health and condition, the DVLA then decide if they are fit to drive or if they should take a driving test.
I would guess that your friends GP or consultant has not been able to give the information to the DVLA for some reason, maybe because they have not had as many visits to the doctor, unlike someone older.
Your friend could easily phone his GP and consultant and find out what the medical is going to entail.
Best wishes x

 

[grove]

Hello Sarah , Just to say agree with the last T P 'er who posted ( Page 8 ) after I had more time to think about the problem / Medical Form etc your friend has to fill out did wonder if the D V L A was a mixed up & & the form & letter should have been sent to your Friend's Dr ! ( rather to your friend ! )

Hope your friend gets some " proper help / advice soon from the D V L A " or your Friend could take the form with him to the Dr 's ( G P ) & they might be able to give Advice etc !

Hope you are ok & having a good week !

Love Grove x x

 

[Countryboy]

Dvla

Hi Sarah Re: DVLA medical in March 2000 I had to inform the DVLA of my medical condition the DVLA with my consent contacted the Consultant a the memory clinic ( this a form with tick boxes ) the Consultant doesn’t write a report “just tick the boxes” every October since then the DVLA contacts my Consultant { Not Me} I get an appointment from the memory clinic to see the Consultant he completes tick boxes on form sends it to the DVLA and I receive my Driving Licence
I have done this 12 times now. No Medical no urine tests, just a form to complete

Cheers Tony

 

[Dolly27]

Hi there have only joined this site tonight, so apologies if this reply is too late to be helpful. I have recently been diagnosed with early onset dementia at 53 , which I thought was young enough, can't begin to imagine how your friend feels at such a tender age....... I was advised by my neurologist that I needed to have a driving assessment. I spoke to My 'link person' from the memory team, sue the occupational therapist who advised I basically had 2 choices 1) contact dvla direct and they would arrange driving assessment and although free it could take months( not good when my job is reliant on me being deemed safe to drive ) also it is free to have assessment. 2) contact local approved mobility assessment centre in my area( she was able to give me contact details) although the cost would normally be £115 for this, it's much quicker.also your details then you can inform dvla of your diagnosis and ( hopefully ) success.the assessment is taken in dual control car ( either automatic or manual) with driving assessor & occupational therapist. I have my driving assessment next weds,& luckily for me they currently have funding for the assessments , so mine will be free.
Hope this information helps. My best wishes to your friend
Dee x

 

[creativesarah]

Thank you dolly thats really helpful; I will try to remember to tell him when I see him next

 

[wendy43uk]

Dvla

MY HUBBY HAD TO HAVE SOME TESTS DONE AT THE HOSPITAL I WAS NOT ALLOWED IN THE ROOM HE SAID HE WAS SHOWN VIDO AND HAD TO JUDGE DISTANCE OFF ON COMING TRAFFIC HE THARGHT HE HAD PASSED SAID IT WAS VERY EASY BUT IN FACT HE FAILED ALL AND WAS TAKEN OFF THE ROAD 4 WEEKS AFTER TEST HOPE THIS HELPS

 

[nmintueo]

Being given a diagnosis of dementia does not automatically exclude you from driving; however there is a legal obligation that you must inform the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) of the diagnosis. The car insurance company must also be informed immediately.

For DVLA information, see:
About medical standards for drivers
Medical information
Alzheimer's disease and driving
Health conditions that could affect your driving

and on the Alzheimer's Society site,
Home > About dementia > Factsheets > Driving and dementia
Driving and dementia
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=144

 

[creativesarah]

thanks for all the info I havnt seen my friend for a couple of weeks but as soon as he comes I'll give him the info

Many thanks Sarah