Can fully understand your frustrations. However in my case - stroke 8 months ago - my frustrations were with my GP practice rather than DVLA or East Anglia Driveability Centre (EAD). Although NHS guidelines are no driving for 4 weeks post stroke, my private consultant was insistant on at least a 3 month period. After 4 months I actually felt ready to resume driving, but before doing so opted to voluntarily undergo a driving assessment at EAD. To my astonishment and dismay, I "failed" due to impaired peripheral vision and did not even get to drive! EAD advised which specific eye tests to have carried out at SpecSavers(DVLA appointed opticians) and advised that DVLA, not previously notified of my stroke, must now be appraised of the sitution. When writing in confirmation of an earlier phone conversation (24hours) notifying them of the stroke, I forwarded a copy of the SpecSavers test results to DVLA. They ackowledged recept in writing within 3 working days, fowarding their standard medical questionaires for completion by myself and my GP. Now the frustration began. Although hand delivered to the 10 partner GP practice with the request that it be dealt with expeditiously and subsequent chasing my me, it took 6 weeks for the GP practice to complete the tick-box questionaire , and then a further week for them to actually return it to DVLA! Once received by the DVLA medical team they acted within a few days, arranging for a futher driving assessment with EAD. This was conducted in the week prior to Christmas, and to my relief went without problem. Given the impending festive and holiday period EAD suggested that it might be well into the New Year before they completed their report and I heard from DVLA. In point of fact I got verbal OK in a phone conversation (initiated by me) with DVLA on 31st December, with their written confirmation arriving a few days later. So contrary to the experiences of others, I personally found dealing with DVLA surprisingly easy and their staff - I spoke with a different person each - to be courteous and efficient.
I suffered a cerebralla arterial infarct in August 2017 and took 5 months to fully rehabilitate back to normal duties, one of which is driving.
2019 I suffered a transient aschemic attack(2 in a week) and the dvla revoked my license pending a medical investigation.
within 12 they had the relevant information to say that everything was good and was fit to return to normal duties which included driving.
the dvla really prolonged the process by writing to me(2nd class post) to authorize information from my doctor, to go to their doctor to review and make a decision.
the same doctor gave them the findings from my mri two months prior and still insisted on writing to him AGAIN to receive the same information and the whole process took 5 months before I was issued with my license.
they really did go round the reakin unnecessarily and as they are a governmental department run by civil servants there is no onbusman but there is a complaints department but all you'll get is, it takes ad long as it takes.
That sounds tough. Begs the question: How and indeed why, were the dvla informed of a TIA ?? Possibly because you were admitted to hospital (?) or because there was a formal diagnosis (?).
The dvla told me that they were not informed of my "full" stroke, eg the standard one month period and it would only come to light if there had been a problem.
We have enough grief without these additional problems.
The DVLA made me wait over 12 months before renewing my licence. I had an aortic dissection which caused me to have a stoke on 1st April 2017 and only got my licence back last week, on the third attempt. Each time I was blocked and asked for yet more information and told things were dealt with in strict order and that I was in a queue. Eventually I complained, especially as the final straw was them saying that they had not yet got the results of my DVLA eye test - although Specsavers insisted they had been sent and even re-sent them a month later to make sure. I felt pretty helpless caught up in this bureaucractic process. The response to my complaint was a stream of self justification from DVLA and a very half hearted apology for the delay in processing my medical evidence.
By contrast, the Drivability team could not have been more helpful and prompt in all their dealings with me and I am very grateful to them. I felt ready to get back to driving over a year ago and my confidence has taken a massive nosedive thanks to the DVLA and will take time to rebuild after such a long (and, in my view, unnecessary) break.
Having read some of these responses I am frankly horrified at how much power the DVLA have over us. It appears that they take pleasure in playing God and messing with people's lives. I found the whole process unbelievably frustrating and question their competence in delaying things for so long and without good reason. I was at the stage of thinking about contacting my MP to move things along.
I think the whole thing is nobody wants to take responsibility for letting you drive so they just keep pushing back and making you fill out the same or very similar forms, still waiting but hope to hear from them this week as they sent me for a DVLA approved eye test last Friday and I've filled out another form and sent it back 1st class so fingers crossed.
If you don't hear back within the week I would check with them that they actually received your eye test results. It was over a month till mine were received and looked at and I kept having to chase Specsavers when the DVLA were the ones at fault. Good luck!
Hi, found out today that at last the DVLA medical department have received all required information and now waiting for them to sort it out, I think DVLA have to be the worst department to deal with, they just don't care that they have the potential to ruin peoples lives which is why I filled out their complaint form today, they need to be accountable for how they deal with people.x