More medical tribulations

Got my renewal reminder a few weeks ago. I’m of an age that a medical “examination” (or rather, paid-for box-ticking exercise) is required, so I booked with a low-cost outfit, paid my £50 and turned up at a local hotel for my “examination” a couple of weeks later. All good, needless to say the only examining the doctor did was to measure my blood pressure and he also got me to read letters off a chart to check my eyesight. Everything else was just a case of asking me if I had any of the issues listed and me saying “No”. He didn’t even dip-test the urine sample I took with me.

On checking the D4 form, I noticed that he hadn’t even ticked a whole section of answers as required (most of the form is divided into sections where, if the answer to the first question is “No”, you go to the next section. The doctor doing my “examination” had applied the same logic to Section 5 - General, where all questions are required to be answered…). Fortunately I had a black biro…

Form sent off along with the renewal form, duly completed by myself.

Several days later (Friday) a brown envelope arrives in the post, containing a letter from DVLA advising me that according to the information provided, my eyesight was not up to the required standard and I must get myself along to an optician for an eye test, and that in the meantime I was not to drive lorries until DVLA had received confirmation that my vision met the required standard. News to me as I’d always been under the impression that my eyesight was OK without glasses and very good with them.

So, a quick phone call to the office to advise them I wouldn’t be able to do Monday’s run (or indeed any other runs next week), and another call to my regular optician to book an eye test - fortunately due to a cancellation they could fit me in next day. Having set those wheels in motion, I phoned the DVLA Medical Group to find out exactly what the problem was. A pleasant woman took my call and checked my information - she couldn’t see what the problem was. So off she went to check further up the chain, leaving me on hold for what felt like hours but was in fact around 20 minutes. Long story short - I had ticked the box saying that I met the eyesight standard without glasses, but the results written on the D4 by the doctor did not support this assertion. Again, news to me…

So, I had my sight tested yesterday and my optician confirmed that yes, my vision is fine, I easily exceed the standards for car driving and meet those for lorry driving without glasses. Forms duly sent off to DVLA.

Moral of this tale? Check those bloody D4 forms before you leave the “examination” and ensure you know exactly what the doctor has written on them!

Im up for my medical shortly. Last time i went, i had been for an eye test around a month before(we have a history of Glaucoma in the family so should go annually although i dont)
I gave it to the doctor at the time and he was happy to see it, as he thought that at my age, 60 at the time, that although my sight was fine that at my age DVLA would almost certainly request an opticians report, and would not accept the pretty basic test which a doctor can perform.
All went fine so hoping for the best again this time although arthritis pretty bad now.

My experience was very similar to that of Roymundo. I wish that the Doctor had said that he was failing me on eyesight. I also had to phone the office in a panic and make an urgent call to an optician. I have corrective lenses and all ok now. I really think that after the Glasgow bin lorry tragedy we should have proper meaningful medicals especially for the older drivers among us.

If it goes to the medical team for a decision please be careful how long they keep your licence for.

I sent mine off on the 19th December and still not had it back. I had new lens in both eyes so wanted the ‘01’ marker removed. It is taking ages. Even the eye surgeon saying I was fine wasn’t enough, I had to go to Specsavers for them to write to DVLA!!

I contacted DVLA before it all started to find out what I needed to do. They sent me an email with instructions. Now turns out the email was wrong. Not sure why I bothered now

good_friend - If you’re cleared by your surgeon ask DVLA if you can have a “Section 88” letter covering you to drive while you wait. I have to do annual renewals and spend more time on one of these than with an actual valid licence these days!

good_friend:
If it goes to the medical team for a decision please be careful how long they keep your licence for.

I sent mine off on the 19th December and still not had it back. I had new lens in both eyes so wanted the ‘01’ marker removed. It is taking ages. Even the eye surgeon saying I was fine wasn’t enough, I had to go to Specsavers for them to write to DVLA!!

I contacted DVLA before it all started to find out what I needed to do. They sent me an email with instructions. Now turns out the email was wrong. Not sure why I bothered now

The DMG are quite notorious for being a complete shower of ■■■■ at times, and have ruined many a professional drivers career and life at times, so much so there has even been a well documented Ombudsmans report about it, Driven To Despair. Google it as it is quite an interesting read. I was one that suffered at their gross incompetence for 4 years, mind you that said I have won my battle and they have just had to weigh me out a decent 5 figure sum in compensation.

I had similar problems a few years ago.I paid my doctor the £85 completed the medical,he signed it so it went in the post.A week later received it back from DVLA because the form had been incorrectly completed by the doctor.Another appointment made,boxes ticked and sent it off again.Back it came again from DVLA.Third appointment made.This time I stood over his shoulder and watched him tick all the boxes correctly,and sign it!Third time lucky.Not impressed and poor value for my £85.
The price now at my local practice has gone up to £105.

It’s advisable if you wear spectacles to take a copy of your prescription along when attending the medical exam, if it’s any help there’s a Dr Singh in Sheffield (Carrfield medical centre healey) who does Driver medicals on Saturday morning for £35, book direct with him 07976810786

One of the last medicals I had was actually done by my GP as I was having problems with blood pressure. She did all the checks and then, finally satisfied, sat down to fill in the form. She asked the questions and ticked the boxes, and I left with the form in my pocket. Before I popped it in the envelope, I read it right through and discovered that she had ticked a whole page of ‘No’s’ when one should have been a ‘Yes’.

I drove straight back to the surgery and asked reception if they could just get her to change and initial the error… Oh no - they couldn’t do that… Long story short (and BP through the roof) I finally got it back the next day.

Same old thing,getting something done on the “cheap” I can never understand anyone going to a Doctor who has absolutely no record of any of your previous medical history
Not forgetting some Drivers have been Doctors in a .previous life and know for a certainty there is absolutely nothing wrong with them and LGV Medical is a box ticking excuse to make a Doctor easy money
If it is classed by some as merely a box ticking exercise, because thats all that happened at previous medicals or their mates have said thats all it is then the Doctor has not been doing a very thorough job.

lolipop:
Same old thing,getting something done on the “cheap” I can never understand anyone going to a Doctor who has absolutely no record of any of your previous medical history
Not forgetting some Drivers have been Doctors in a .previous life and know for a certainty there is absolutely nothing wrong with them and LGV Medical is a box ticking excuse to make a Doctor easy money
If it is classed by some as merely a box ticking exercise, because thats all that happened at previous medicals or their mates have said thats all it is then the Doctor has not been doing a very thorough job.

Problem is you see the people complaining as their gp got the form wrong as they are not used to it. I didn’t use my GP as he wanted 3 times the price I paid and didn’t do the eye test. I wouldn’t begrudge an extra £20 or 30 but £100 plus a separate eye test ( I don’t wear glasses) no thanks

Our doctor doesn’t do the eye test any more (he always had in the past) so an optician has to do it before I see the doctor and then the doc completes the form. I didn’t know that before my last medical so it caused some confusion as I wasn’t aware before I booked the medical and wasted his time, don’t think I will bother renewing again anyway.

Pete.

to be honest most drivers dont give a ■■ about the honest results of a medical, they just want a pass. so they can keep on driving, can be blood pressure, eyesight, sleep apnea, , heart problems, etc
dont care, can i keep driving, ? your health is more important than driving,

A mate of mine who lives in Leeds (not that that has anything to do with it) partly retired a few years ago and went part time driving the occasional weekend. When he went for his HGV medical one of the questions was concerning alcohol usage and as he had at least five days off he ticked yes for a couple of pints. Apparently the Doctors office were going to send the paperwork to Swansea but forgot till he called them a couple of weeks later to see if they had and then they did. After about a month he got a letter from Swansea saying his licence wasn’t being renewed because he was an ‘alcohol abuser’.

He informed them he worked Sat and Sun so his weekend was five week days long so it’s not like he’s drinking while working but it was no good, they wanted him to go back to the Doctor and the Doctor would decide if he was a drunk or not.

He got his HGV licence after a couple more months after much arguing on the phone and repeated threats to go to Swansea and ‘sort them out’. I used to work with this guy and he’s very responsible and honest so that’s why he ticked yes not thinking two pints a week would be a problem.

remy:
A mate of mine who lives in Leeds (not that that has anything to do with it) partly retired a few years ago and went part time driving the occasional weekend. When he went for his HGV medical one of the questions was concerning alcohol usage and as he had at least five days off he ticked yes for a couple of pints. Apparently the Doctors office were going to send the paperwork to Swansea but forgot till he called them a couple of weeks later to see if they had and then they did. After about a month he got a letter from Swansea saying his licence wasn’t being renewed because he was an ‘alcohol abuser’.

He informed them he worked Sat and Sun so his weekend was five week days long so it’s not like he’s drinking while working but it was no good, they wanted him to go back to the Doctor and the Doctor would decide if he was a drunk or not.

He got his HGV licence after a couple more months after much arguing on the phone and repeated threats to go to Swansea and ‘sort them out’. I used to work with this guy and he’s very responsible and honest so that’s why he ticked yes not thinking two pints a week would be a problem.

Cool story - but there is no such box to tick. The only question asked on the form (which the doctor fills in anyway) is “Number of units of alcohol taken each week”.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

Roymondo:

remy:
A mate of mine who lives in Leeds (not that that has anything to do with it) partly retired a few years ago and went part time driving the occasional weekend. When he went for his HGV medical one of the questions was concerning alcohol usage and as he had at least five days off he ticked yes for a couple of pints. Apparently the Doctors office were going to send the paperwork to Swansea but forgot till he called them a couple of weeks later to see if they had and then they did. After about a month he got a letter from Swansea saying his licence wasn’t being renewed because he was an ‘alcohol abuser’.

He informed them he worked Sat and Sun so his weekend was five week days long so it’s not like he’s drinking while working but it was no good, they wanted him to go back to the Doctor and the Doctor would decide if he was a drunk or not.

He got his HGV licence after a couple more months after much arguing on the phone and repeated threats to go to Swansea and ‘sort them out’. I used to work with this guy and he’s very responsible and honest so that’s why he ticked yes not thinking two pints a week would be a problem.

Cool story - but there is no such box to tick. The only question asked on the form (which the doctor fills in anyway) is “Number of units of alcohol taken each week”.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

OK, i was trying to remember what he said in his e-mail, it’s been a while, he must have told the Doc then.