DVLA Medical Group Incompetence, GP Reports (and some helpful advice)

[BazzaS]

I cant add much, except to say that 'fighting' DVLA Drivers' Medical Group is hard.

 

Document everything. Take copies of everything you send them, and send via Special Delivery (costly, but worth it when they claim not to have received information). Bizarrely, you are in a better position when they refuse a license* : as you can then ask them to reconsider, giving the grounds for reconsideration, and then if they still refuse, take it to a Magistrates' Court.

The downside is that I never found a solicitor who seemed familiar with this and the 'driving solicitors' who advertise seem interested in drink and drug-driving offenses, not licensing.

 

I asked a very experienced Magistrate when it looked like I needed to go to bat for someone: they hadn't ever had such a case brought before them, and werent familiar with it when then also asked their colleagues on that bench.

 

*The reason why I say refusal is better is that at least you have a statutory right of appeal. There is no such right when DVLA 'bury the paperwork', and even if they go outside of their 'expected timeframe', you cant make them make a decision ; sometimes they just leave people in limbo, without a decision you cant appeal it to a court.

 

Record all calls. They'll deny what they said, or deny you said what you did. Then they'll claim there wasn't a complaint. Then they'll say there was a complaint but it was never logged as a complaint. Then they'll say that review of complaints is by the same team "so there is no point'. (Does any of this sound familiar?)

You've done well to get the complaint to their Chief Exec : there is a further escalation (via your MP to the PHSO).

 

The PHSO's report (albeit from 2016) isn't very complimentary about DVLA .....

https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/publications/driven-despair

 

Edited September 7, 2022 by BazzaS