The minutes of the expert panel are posted on the Internet about a month before the next meeting; the meetings are six months apart, so there’s a bit of a wait before they are available. To search on the internet, open your usual search engine and type: DVLA vision panel.
I’m aware that Darren Jones has written to the DVLA about delays in dealing with medical issues. I have also emailed Darren’s policy team asking that a similar letter is sent to the PHSO. I’ll post again when things are clearer.
Thanks to everyone for their support and comments. Has anyone seen the report that an approved driving assessment centre sends back to DVLA please? I made a FOI request for a blank version of any such report form or instructions. The DVLA response only sent me a copy of the standard letter to the centre, not the report from the centre! I asked for an internal review of this FOI response, on the basis that DVLA letters referred to such a ‘report’ (!) and that I was sure it was not left to centres to decide how to report back to DVLA. The FOI internal review concluded (mysteriously!) that the original response had included all the relevant information held by DVLA. I gibe up!
As an aside, it’s typical of DVLA that the minutes of its advisory Panel are published 5 months after the meeting, not as soon as they are drafted and cleared by the Chairman.
Good morning @StephenW. I am sorry this process has been so complicated and difficult.
In answer to your question, yes I was sent the report from the assessment, and it was up to me to send it to the medical section of the DVLA, address provided, it was also copied to my GP. Despite this, and I assume on receipt of this, the DVLA sent me a consent to contact the hospital consultant for a medical fitness to drive enquiry. I had bought a car by this point and taken driving lessons. I was allowed to continue driving but was threatened with a revoke of licence if I did not send the consent back in a time scale which was virtually impossible.
The assessment was in June 22, the letter requesting consent from the DVLA, August 22, and I finally got a letter dated 25th Jan 23 to say I satisfied the medical standards from the DVLA.
So during a time that I was trying to rebuild my confidence the DVLA were slowly trying to erode it. I understand there are rules to keep everyone safe but the way the DVLA treat those just trying to abide by their rules is wrong. Stick with it, it’s worth it in the end, it should not be this difficult.
Good luck, Julia
Yes, I did receive the completed assessment report. However, the assessment didn’t make sense as one part of the report was positive, but conflicted wildly with the other part. Although the driving part of the assessment was on public roads, the assessment stated it was off-road. This was at a time when the DVLA did not allow driver refresher training before the assessment. The assessment then, recommended whether you could receive refresher lessons. In February 2020, the DVLA changed the procedure and allowed pre-assessment refresher driving lessons, but refused to back-date it and that excluded 12,800+ drivers who had been revoked due to visual requirements.
My licence was revoked due to hemianopia. DVLA state that my eyesight has to improve to a compliant visual field to obtain a PDAL (in which case I would not require a PDAL). In 2018, the DVLA stated in PHSO case P-001082, that someone who had been revoked due to failing the field test would never be able; “…to submit a field test that can meet the standards.” Additionally, DVLA wrote to me confirming that they do not possess evidence that a return to a compliant visual field is possible. I submitted written evidence to the DVLA, from a member of the Transport Minister’s expert panel, confirming a return to a compliant visual field after twelve months is very unlikely. My MP is a member of the (government) Cabinet and his policy team have written to the DVLA about this and, his constituency aide is in contact with the PHSO. I’ll post again if I receive an update.
Despite the Public Accounts Committee Inquiry into the DVLA backlog - my evidence was published - the PHSO have not completed a detailed investigation of DVLA medical submissions since July 2021.
Yes i am having an assessment on Thursday after not driving for 15 months ,you have to keep phoning DVLA they are a bit slow… fingers crossed for you and me
I so agree,It has taken me many months and a lot of phone calls to get my assessment this week,i have been driving with L plates and my husband besides me for 4 weeks now and happy to say i am as confident as i was before and hope i am gett nearer to driving on my own
My first post in February 2025 introduced myself, described some experiences so far and asked a few very specific questions about the ‘exceptional circumstances’ process. This second post is a follow-up/progress report. Or lack of progress report! I knew dealing with the NHS and DVLA was tough and hope my experience helps others. To recap:
Ischaemic stroke, complete left homonymous hemianopia, and atrial fibrillation April 2024.
DVLA informed, Specsavers field test submitted.
DVLA very slow, wrote to a doctor who had left the hospital but failed to chase up a lack of response! I had to chase. Licence revoked August 2024, no driving done since April 2024.
Autumn 2024 very useful and friendly visit to Carshalton Mobility Centre Open Day in Surrey. Good driving instructors and occupational therapists. Drove on test track and did braking tests on machine rig.
Discharged from opthalmologist, who put copies of DVLA exceptional case letter and guidance on my file for future visit. Eye doctor knew little or nothing about the DVLA process and was not sure how the hospital would test me and assess functional adaptation when my one year was up in April 2025.
February 2025 asked GP to refer me to eye hospital to start the exceptional case process from April 2025 - long waiting list at East Surrey Hospital.
After contradictory messages, and after emailing hospital to ensure 12 months had elapsed, received an appointment for 23 April.
Two weeks before appointment wrote long letter to hospital ophthalmologist explaing the purpose of the appointment (clinical support in the form of signature to the DVLA evidence return form); attaching the DVLA criteria and guidance on functional adaptation; quoting the Royal College of Opthalmologists guidance note on functional adaptation, plus the DVLA’s March 2023 discussion at the Medical Advisory Panel; and giving examples of my adaptation in daily living.
Turned up for appointment on 23 April in hopeful mood as nurse was aware of my letter. Had binocular field test, colour test, and pressure test. Then met doctor who was clearly unaware of the DVLA process. Long discussion about referral process, whether I had to meet all the bullet points on the guidance on functional adaptation. Doctor not willing to progress and I asked to see her manager. Leading consultant came in and took a different tack. Accused me of disrupting his clinic and taking up a lot of the. Refused to accept my own examples of adaptation and said he could not sign form as had no evidence to do so. He said he would sign later if I could get an occupational therapist (OT) to say I had adapted. He referred me to OTs at Carshalton Driving Mobility Centre.
But GP has told me his practice is not funded to refer me to an OT. And Carshalton Centre were the people who advised me that an opthalmogist signature would carry more weight with DVLA than an OT one. And they also said they only enter the process after a clinician has given support!
So round in circles I go, with mental health suffering badly.
Determined to keep persevering and realise doctors have to act carefully.
Has anyone used an OT as part of the exceptional case process, and how did they provide evidence of adaptation please?