DVLA, health issues and address change question
Discussion
Back in December last year I underwear surgery to have a brain tumour taken out. This resulted in my license being revokes for 12 months.
Now.... I moved house just before finding out I had a tumour and didn't change my license address. Because all health care correspondence has come to my new address any contact with the DVLA has come to my new address.
I only noticed a few days ago that my license still has my old address.
One of my symptoms post-surgery was double vision. The surgeon who took the tumour out said, back in April, that when the optometry/eye department are happy I'm good to go to drive, he would write a letter to the DVLA to say I'm now fit to drive.
Now, I had an eye appointment yesterday and my as my eyes have improved so much they are now going to write to my neurosurgeon, GP and me to say the I'm good to drive from an eye point of view. This means my surgeon will be writing to the DVLA quite soon to say they deem me fit to drive.
Question is... Do I send my license off now to change the address (with the risk of them keeping it, and potentially being a bugger to get back) or do I keep it and wait until it's no longer revoked?
The DVLA may still insist on a 12 month waiting period, even though my surgeons deem me fit to drive.... If that's the case I will try to contest that, because they would be saying they know better than my surgeons,which they don't!
I've tried changing the address online but it says I'm not eligible for the service!
Thoughts?
Many thanks in advance
Now.... I moved house just before finding out I had a tumour and didn't change my license address. Because all health care correspondence has come to my new address any contact with the DVLA has come to my new address.
I only noticed a few days ago that my license still has my old address.
One of my symptoms post-surgery was double vision. The surgeon who took the tumour out said, back in April, that when the optometry/eye department are happy I'm good to go to drive, he would write a letter to the DVLA to say I'm now fit to drive.
Now, I had an eye appointment yesterday and my as my eyes have improved so much they are now going to write to my neurosurgeon, GP and me to say the I'm good to drive from an eye point of view. This means my surgeon will be writing to the DVLA quite soon to say they deem me fit to drive.
Question is... Do I send my license off now to change the address (with the risk of them keeping it, and potentially being a bugger to get back) or do I keep it and wait until it's no longer revoked?
The DVLA may still insist on a 12 month waiting period, even though my surgeons deem me fit to drive.... If that's the case I will try to contest that, because they would be saying they know better than my surgeons,which they don't!
I've tried changing the address online but it says I'm not eligible for the service!
Thoughts?
Many thanks in advance
First, let me wish you all the best for your health. The tumour is better out than in. I speak from experience.
Also, it's early days so take it easy.
Regarding the licence, trying to second guess DVLA isn't easy but with all the medical evidence in your favour it may pay to wait a couple of weeks then send the licence to Swansea.
I'm sure there's other stuff to be doing.
Also, it's early days so take it easy.
Regarding the licence, trying to second guess DVLA isn't easy but with all the medical evidence in your favour it may pay to wait a couple of weeks then send the licence to Swansea.
I'm sure there's other stuff to be doing.
Edited by Slushbox on Wednesday 29th July 07:35
Slushbox said:
First, let me wish you all the best for your health. The tumour is better out than in. I speak from experience.
Also, it's early days so take it easy.
Regarding the licence, trying to second guess DVLA isn't easy but with all the medical evidence in your favour it may pay to wait a couple of weeks then send the licence to Swansea.
I'm sure there's other stuff to be doing.
Sony you reckon just wait until all the medical stuff is sorted? My only concern is I have to reapply for my license with a D1 form and it may confuse them a bit with regards to addresses. Also, it's early days so take it easy.
Regarding the licence, trying to second guess DVLA isn't easy but with all the medical evidence in your favour it may pay to wait a couple of weeks then send the licence to Swansea.
I'm sure there's other stuff to be doing.
Edited by Slushbox on Wednesday 29th July 07:35
May give them a call and see what they advise.
Many thanks
"you reckon just wait until all the medical stuff is sorted? "
I'm no expert, but it can take a while for letters from your consultant to arrive at DVLA. (The medical profession still use fax for a great many things but I'm not sure that DVLA does.)
By all means call DVLA. Staff there vary from helpful graduates to the other end of the scale. Sometimes they insist on sticking to the letter of what they insist is their 'procedures'.
Also they can use what you tell them on the phone to amend your records. (!)
Bon chance!
I'm no expert, but it can take a while for letters from your consultant to arrive at DVLA. (The medical profession still use fax for a great many things but I'm not sure that DVLA does.)
By all means call DVLA. Staff there vary from helpful graduates to the other end of the scale. Sometimes they insist on sticking to the letter of what they insist is their 'procedures'.
Also they can use what you tell them on the phone to amend your records. (!)
Bon chance!
Just spoke to them. They said that when I send in my reapplication form along with my medical questionnaire if I use my new address the new license will be addressed there.
They said even though my consultants say I'm oak to drive I still have to wait 12 months which is annoying.... It's almost as if they think they know better than my surgeons!
But that 12 month period is up on 1st December.... So if I can get my consultant to write a letter to the DVLA AND to me now then hopefully by early October (you can send in application form 8 weeks early with any supporting evidence) I'll have the consultants letter etc so they shouldn't have to do much chasing up, if any, so the process should be a bit quicker.
They said even though my consultants say I'm oak to drive I still have to wait 12 months which is annoying.... It's almost as if they think they know better than my surgeons!
But that 12 month period is up on 1st December.... So if I can get my consultant to write a letter to the DVLA AND to me now then hopefully by early October (you can send in application form 8 weeks early with any supporting evidence) I'll have the consultants letter etc so they shouldn't have to do much chasing up, if any, so the process should be a bit quicker.
"It's almost as if they think they know better than my surgeons! "
I think they have their own medical assurance people. A relly has had cataract ops and DVLA seem to make their own decisions, not the medical profession.
See here:
https://www.gov.uk/current-medical-guidelines-dvla...
Good luck, anyway.
I think they have their own medical assurance people. A relly has had cataract ops and DVLA seem to make their own decisions, not the medical profession.
See here:
https://www.gov.uk/current-medical-guidelines-dvla...
Good luck, anyway.
The plan is to get all paperwork done and sorted asap, and get copies of letters from consultants saying I'm fine, fill in medical questionnaire etc and application form and get it sent off as early as possible.
They say you can apply 8 weeks prior to the date at which the 12 months is up but if I can get all this paperwork done before I'll send it off early... No harm in doing so.
I don't expect it to be valid for only a few years due to the nature of the problem and my symptoms. My surgeons have said based on the tumour location it's a physical impossibility for that to cause seizures..... And I've been deemed fit to drive from a vision point of view as well
They say you can apply 8 weeks prior to the date at which the 12 months is up but if I can get all this paperwork done before I'll send it off early... No harm in doing so.
I don't expect it to be valid for only a few years due to the nature of the problem and my symptoms. My surgeons have said based on the tumour location it's a physical impossibility for that to cause seizures..... And I've been deemed fit to drive from a vision point of view as well
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