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Experience with DVLA
hi all
can anyone share their experiences with DVLA and licenses
i was diagnosed in late december with sleep apnea and has advised reported in to the DVLA, who revoked my license as treatment had not started, driving is part of my job
i could not get a appointment at any clinic until mid march so decided because of work to go private at ResMed clinic in London, i spoke to the DVLA as to whether a private clinic could supply them with the necessary information that they needed, as they were asking a specialist that i would not see for nearly 10 weeks. i was informed that this would be ok, so i went ahead and bought machine and waited the 30 days that they needed to take information off the machine. i went back to ResMed who filled out the questionnaire that the DVLA had sent them along with a full report in to my treatment. the report only asked 2 questions of information that i had not already given them
question 1 -- am i compliant with treatment
question 2 --- do i suffer from day time tiredness anymore
both of the above i had already answered and now the clinic had confirmed it, but to my shock it was not a doctor that had signed but an RSN so the DVLA refused to accept it and wanted the information from the doctor that i had not seen, so i am stuck at the moment trying to hold on to a job.
i managed to get the doctor to fill in the form from the information supplied by ResMed, but he forgot to sign the form so it has now gone back to him and i carry on waiting
there does not seem to be any consistency in how you are treated by them, i have spoken to people that were diagnosed with severe apnea similar to mine that never had their license revoked.
the other problem is that every time you call no one can give you any answers or information that is the same as the last time you called them, they cannot even confirm what information they have received from either the clinic or the doctor, only that they have some information but are awaiting more.
is this really par for DVLA and treatment or have i just been unlucky?
any other stories or just ideas of how long you waited to get license back would start to help put my mind at rest as i really am starting to let it effect me
Views: 918
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on
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I do think you've been unlucky Simon, but the DVLA do take it all even more seriously when you drive for a living. Why did the doctor who diagnosed you through your private sleep study in London not sign the form? This would have surely saved time! Hopefully, you're now at the last hurdle though.
My experience is that I didn't tell the DVLA when I got diagnosed as back then I knew it took a long time to get back your licence, BUT I did stop driving immediately. When I finally got successful therapy I told the DVLA and my specialist at the sleep clinic signed the necessary forms and soon after I got confirmation I was ok to drive.
If you do a search here on the forum at the top right for 'DVLA' you'll see what other people have posted in the past, and hope you get sorted really soon.
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Permalink Reply by simon howlett on
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hi Kath
thanks for responding the private clinic was a RSN and not a doctor so the DVLA would not accept her filling in the form
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....but wasn't it a dr who diagnosed you at the clinic or do they allow RSN's to there?
simon howlett said:hi Kath
thanks for responding the private clinic was a RSN and not a doctor so the DVLA would not accept her filling in the form
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hi kath
i was diagnosed on NHS on overnight sleep study, but could not start treatment with them till mid march, this was december so i went private to get machine and treatment started, after 30 days the RSN at Resmed reviewed machine data for compliance and see if treatment was working
dvla sent them a form to fil in saying if i was compliant with treatment and if i suffered from day time tiredness, she replied to this and then the dvla decided that it needed to be a doctor after previously confirming to me that it would be acceptable from the clinic
Kath Hope said:....but wasn't it a dr who diagnosed you at the clinic or do they allow RSN's to there?
simon howlett said:hi Kath
thanks for responding the private clinic was a RSN and not a doctor so the DVLA would not accept her filling in the form
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Ah right, I see what the problem is now. It's about time things changed so that once a person is diagnosed people can get onto treatment quicker, as it seems that you having to fork out all the extra money hasn't got you back driving much quicker, seeing as it's March now
You have had a raw deal! Some NHS clinics are quicker than others. I had to stop driving for about 8 months after being diagnosed, but it wasn't as much a problem as it is for you, as my job didn't involve driving.Hope you get back on the road real soon, now you're getting successful treatment and the sleepiness has no doubt diminished
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My experience with DVLA was straightforward and fairly quick.
I filled in a form, but also sent them a letter explaining the situation and a copy of my Sleephead software stats - which included my average AHI, hours of duration of sleep etc - in order to prove that I was compliant with the therapy. They then wrote back to say it was ok for me to drive.
I think the Sleepyheads stats and the letter explaining that I was now waking up refreshed may have made the difference.
Hope this is of some help.
Pete
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hi Pete
thanks for your response, i did exactly the same as you sent a full 30 day report from Resmed showing stats same as you and a letter stating i did not have any more tiredness and they have said that is not enough, they want the information to come from a specialist
Pete said:My experience with DVLA was straightforward and fairly quick.
I filled in a form, but also sent them a letter explaining the situation and a copy of my Sleephead software stats - which included my average AHI, hours of duration of sleep etc - in order to prove that I was compliant with the therapy. They then wrote back to say it was ok for me to drive.
I think the Sleepyheads stats and the letter explaining that I was now waking up refreshed may have made the difference.
Hope this is of some help.
Pete
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This is interesting Pete and Simon. It sounds like it depends who is dealing with us at the DVLA end, or perhaps it's the fact that you Simon drive for a living and are classed differently.
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Hi, just to add my experience, after being diagnosed by the sleep clinic I have been to my GP today who naturally advised me to notify the DVLA immediately but assured me as I was not suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness and never fallen asleep at the while driving I would be okay to continue driving.
I rang the the DVLA and told them that my GP would confirm I did not have excessive daytime sleepiness and had never fallen asleep at the wheel and was about to start a CPAP trial on 14th May. I was immediately instructed not to drive and could resume driving on the 14th if my CPAP Doctor says I can! In the mean time they would send me some forms to fill and I enquired how long there investigation would take to which I was told - could take 3.5 months!
Having contacted my consultants secretary I have been told that it is unlikely that the consultant will okay me to drive on the 14th but may possibly on the 21st when he has some data/feedback as to whether I am benifitting from the CPAP. So there we have it I appear to be destined to at least a month, probably longer of being taxied around by girlfriend, family and friends.
Regards
Colin
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Permalink Reply by David on
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When I was diagnosed and had my study I was advised that I ought to contact the DVLA by the clinic.
It was only a few days after before I got my machine so I waited till after that to advise them. Never told to stop driving by them although its only commuting etc I do.
Obviously if you are a proffesional driver then you ought to say straight away.
As is said on many occasions on here how many folk out are are suffering but havent been diagnosed, At least we have and being treated.
If you had a crash but hadnt reported it would your insurance cop out , but if you hadnt been diagnosed & didnt know I bet they would pay out!!
Point to discuss?
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Permalink Reply by Andy Thomas on
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Hi guys
i posted a thread a couole of years ago re my experiences with dvla and two years down the line the problems still exist .
The biggest issue i have found with dvla is that they do not understand the conidition enough and there medical panel dont either so they make quick snap judgements on things they dont understand .
Sorry i have been away so long will try to do better .
Well my fellow hoseheads i am off
to write another email to dvla
good sleep all
andy
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Hi Andy and great to have you back
Sorry to hear you're still having issues with the DVLA (for those new to the forum in the past couple of years, here's Andy's original post http://hope2sleepguide.co.uk/forum/topics/sleep-apnoea-and-the-dvla?). Let us know how you get on. Have you not been able to drive all this time Andy?
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