Does anyone know if they contact you after the 3 year period. I am a little worried re remembering and sorting it with no ‘gaps’ in my legal ability to drive. I am lucky enough to still be working, but on the bus I would probably not manage.
Yes, they contact you a month or so before it expires.
Sarah
Thankyou
I’ve recently had mine renewed and they granted a 5 year license previously had 3 year. Said that new policies meant that they could now give longer license if no major changes to disability
Oh dear I am shaking literally here reading this thread…I have been terrified about my licence being taken away.
My OH has illnesses which may quite soon get his license revoked and we live in the country where there is a 4 mile walk to the nearest bus stop and a taxi would need to come from town 6 miles away and then drive even further to the bigger town where the hospital is and where the only chemist for prescriptions.
I never drive if I feel it might be risky ( I worked in A & E for years as a trauma nurse specialist so have seen way too much to take risks ) even having a cold and driving is risky because sneezing can be catastrophic if you are behind the wheel.
Hi Chris. Just a quick update, due to the snow and bad weather DVLA cancelled the user feedback meeting last week. Unfortunately they have rearranged it for this week but it coincides with the newly diagnosed day the hospital has arranged. Typical. Anyhow, I said if they want feedback in the future to keep me on the list. So it’s to plan two - write a formal letter and ask for a reply. Just thought I’d let you know.
I’m still waiting to hear
So just had a letter from DVLA confirming a 3 year medical license, which is what I was expecting. I’ve informed my insurance company and it’s made no difference to my monthly premiums what so ever, which I wasn’t expecting ! So happy days on that one !
Didn’t you already have a three year license? Or I think someone else has said they confirm the three licence you’ve already got is ok? The insurers aren’t allowed to charge more. This I already new as it would be discriminatory. But as you say happy days!
No I was a full normal license.
Basically when I was diagnosed in 2014 I presumed that the Neurologist would write to my doctor confirming the MS, which he did, and then the doctor would be under obligation to inform the DVLA !
So when I heard nothing I though all was good but at least they’ve been informed.
It was only very recently after reading on here somewhere that I realised it was my duty to inform the DVLA, so when my neuro recently confirmed I had gone from RRMS to SPMS I brought up with him my driving and informing the DVLA, like you he thought I had already done so !
Whoops. Alls well that ends well thou! Mind you, I knew I would have to notify DVLA because I’d looked up when I had the optic neuritis, but you raise a good point, my neuro didn’t say until I double checked with him. I double checked as I had to ask if I was now clinically definite ms, as opposed to still probably ms - he went on about it’s the law etc, I have to etc. But why don’t they make it so much easier and clearer, ie something like … I’m sorry this means that you now need to notify DVLA? Someone in work has said she has ms, and yet says she hasn’t notified DVLA, I was asking her advice at the time on how long it takes etc, she said but I haven’t had problems with my eyes like you! I have now told her that’s irrelevant, so done my bit , makes you wonder how many others, and if all other consultants for other diseases are the same how many people are driving around blissfully until something goes wrong!!
It really was an honest mistake, but mostly a lack of clear communication between myself and the MS clinic. I remember my GP calling me into the surgery after she received the letter from the neuro confirming the MS, she basically wanted to see how I was and and explain what treatment was available. She also asked about my job and how I travelled their, all the time she was taking notes, so I assumed that the driving bit would be passed onto the DVLA. She never once said that I had to inform the DVLA. In all honesty when your first diagnosed theres so much crammed into your brain that you need to accept and take in that weeks and months very quickly turned into years, so it’s no surprise that “things” get pushed to the back of our thoughts or forgotten about. I think people who have driven for years and depend on their cars fear they will lose their license or their insurance premiums will increase, hence some not informing the DVLA, this wasn’t what happened in my case but I can fully understand it. Once I realised my error I contact the DVLA the same day, it was easy to do online and altogether it’s taken about month to sort out. So now it’s a 3 year licenses, no real big deal to me. Your current license is actually voided the day you inform them, but you can still drive under section 88 of the road traffic act until they’ve made a full decision. It is clearly pointed out in the paper work I received that NOT informing them of a medical condition such as MS voids your current license, carries a £1000 fine because your basically driving without a license, and voids your insurance. God forbid anyone who hasnt informed the DVLA & their insurance company but are then involved in a serious accident where the police do background medical checks. They’ll soon discover the MS, which then means your license is void, which also means your insurance is void, which then means a whole lot of SH*T to contend with. I’m glad now I’ve sorted my license out, at least I know if anything happens I’m legally covered to drive.
My wife has not quite been officially diagnosed yet all the letters refer to “suspected MS” etc. We are seeing the Ms specialist neuro on Wednesday and would be absolutely amazed if it doesn’t become 100% at that point. So we haven’t informed anyone yet.
Originally she had neck/shoulder/back injury caused at work which made her stop driving at that point anyway as it wasn’t possible at that time anyway. That side of things has got much better and i have swapped to a much smaller car and also gone auto to make things easier for her. She has lost a bit of confidence having not really driven for 2 years now but i think she should be ok so long as she is sensible and only attempts it on one of her better days and is honest with herself about this.Hopefully the neuro will agree and we can notify dvla and insurance company after diagnosis to get this sorted asap!
I might be wrong here but, there is a list of illness/disabilities you MUST inform the DVLA about, however I’m pretty sure you must inform your insurance company and DVLA if theres ANY condition that might affect your driving.
My insurance company has a question which asks something like “do you have ANY medical condition that might affect you ability to drive”.
If you click yes, then theres a drop down link where you can select your condition, MS is on that list, but also theres a “other” selection that can be clicked for you to write in your condition if it’s not on the list.
It also asks if the DVLA have been notified and then gives 6 options to click from.
DVLA- Aware 1 year Restricted License
DVLA - Aware 2 year Restricted License
DVLA - Aware 3 year Restricted License
DVLA - Unaware
Doctor Advised Not To Drive
DVLA - Aware NO Restrictions
I found the only two that made a difference was clicking on either DVLA Unaware or Doctor Advised Not To Drive, both of these came back with “please contact us immediately”
So looking at the way the initial insurance question is asked, and the list of possible answers to chose from I would suggest that the DVLA has to be informed every time, even if they (DVLA) take no action, at least in the eyes of the insurance company !
If an insurance company can find any reason not pay out an insurance claim, especially a large one after a serious accident you can bet your life they will find a reason.
Totally understand and agree with you jactac on both posts. I’m impressed by your gp actually proactively wanting to see you after diagnosis.
She was the first and only GP to sit up and look at me when I mentioned my sister’s MS, a look that I could tell she was concerned. It rang alarm bells straight away with her, in fact, and this is the truth, she immediately rang the MS clinic at my local Hospital, which was about 4.30pm so everyone would of been going home, unbelievably she got straight through to the consultant, he must of been walking out the door but decided to pick up the phone, after a quick run down of symptoms and family history I was sitting in front of the neuro the very next day !. She’s a great GP, always asks about the MS and how my family are. When my mother passed away 3 years ago it was the same GP who recognised the worrying symptoms, that turned out to be pancreatic cancer. Only pity is she’s now part time after having a baby, and it’s an absolute nightmare trying to get appointments at my surgery at the best of times. They’ve brought out this telephone triage thing that is done by the bloody receptionists ??? Who then passes the info onto a GP, could be any GP, even one brought in as a temp who doesn’t know you or you history from adam, who then rings you back and you go through the whole process of explaining again whats wrong and they diagnose you over the phone. Trying to explain to someone over the phone that you’re feeling all depressed and suicidal, is just not the same as sitting in front of that person and they can see in your eyes that you need help.
Your GP sounds amazing! I’m sorry to hear about your mother. Don’t like the sound of that triage thing by receptionist. Again I completely agree with your sentiment, someone in that position probably would stick through the process. I went for counselling last year, 6 month waiting list. Lot going on at the time, as well as the ms investigations, I’m a confident person and wasn’t depressed, but I was so stressed, I was at breaking point. I remember my counsellor telling me she was leaving the primary care service and moving to the, i think it was the severe trauma section - where people wait two years to see a counsellor!!! No wonder some people think suicide is the only way out, as they can’t access timely help. Unfortunately it didn’t surprise me. My sister, who has now unfortunately passed away, suffered from a very serious mental health illness. Her illness nearly tore our family apart. My parents had to fight like crazy to get her care and help and financial support due to shortage of mental health beds. It’s crazy, the cost to the nhs when someone has gone beyond the point where they can function and get sectioned, and sometimes it can be avoided if they get help, support earlier. I always thought she would go before me due to her illness, but it was the flu that killed her, it attacked her heart. All anyone can do is hope that things in the health service improve. One has to have hope.
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So today i went with my Wife to see the MS specialist Neuro and as expected he confirmed that she now has a 100% diagnosis of MS.One of the questions we asked was if she could still drive and he confirmed she could. I had a quick look at the dvla website and clicked on notifiable medical conditions, then MS and it took me to form CN1 which i printed off.Is this how you notify them?? Question 1 ticked ms and diagnosis date, next bit is have you had a relapse, She had otic neuritis 15 years ago and then the sudden disability nearly a year ago leading to the MS diagnosis today so is that the relapse or does it mean further relapse after diagnosis.Anybody know? Also at the bottom of each page along with name,dob and driver no it has space for Ref: where does she get a ref from?
If you phone them to notifi them they give you a ref no. Also when you phone your car insurance the first question is 'have you informed the dvla? '. When you inform the dvla on the phone you then have a time limit to get the forms back, I can’t remember how long. DVLA pays the doctors form filling fee.
Thankyou, She has phoned them this morning,surprisingly quick response and got Ref no.Form now filled out and will be sent by recorded delivery today so we know and have proof when it gets there.