False gp recomendation

[price1367]

As Bigtom says, the NHS system does NOT say you are more than 12 months sober, it just says that YOU SAY that you are more than 12 months sober.
I sympathise with you, but there is nothing that you can do to change the circumstances that you are in. I am not saying that it is right, just saying how it works.

 

[Recovered22]

my local surgery during covid pandemy didnt accept any appointments apart vaccinating so how should i do any tests during that time where even my gp refuse to do them during that time. Apologies but your answers are same as dvla. if nhs sytem says im more than 12 months sober then why they expect me to wait another 6-8 months?

The DVLA aren't accepting your date, because there's no proof of that date. I can say I've been sober since 2010, but would the DVLA accept that? Absolutely not, it's the word of a convicted criminal (which I and everyone else who has been banned am) I empathize that your GP wasn't taking non essential appointments but did you try and get your bloods taken by a practice nurse? My surgery was not taking non-essential patients but with a kindly worded email to the surgery manager explaining how I needed LFT's to support my driving licence status they allowed me to come in for a blood draw with the practice nurse.

The DVLA have requested 12 months from a certain date and that's the end of it, there is no appeals process. They discount your claims of sobriety because at the end of the day that's what they are, claims. Until they are proven with evidence they will be ignored.

 

[C J 1980]

Evening

One of the biggest stumbling blocks HRO's fall foul of is not establishing regular contact with their GP's. I will explain the scenario -

John Doe is arrested for drink driving and gives a reading of 95 - he is banned for two years with a DVLA medical at the end. He passes the medical with flying colours with a CDT of 0.7%.

However, John Doe last visited his GP with a bad cough in 2006! The DVLA cannot confirm that John has refrained from drinking alcohol because he hasn't seen his GP in 15 years.

This is why regular contact with the GP is ESSENTIAL throughout the period of the drink driving ban for HRO's. Get a sobriety date documented early on with at least 12 months recorded medical progress and the DVLA medical team should be satisfied.

Some forum members have stated they work in safety critical roles with regular saliva and urine tests, but the DVLA will not accept this as evidence of sobriety. It is just the same with private CDTs. The DVLA will only accept evidence from your GP of ongoing sobriety.

Going back to John Doe - he has not touched alcohol since his arrest, but sadly because his sobriety is not documented in medical notes, the DVLA medical team WILL NOT accept John's account of not drinking because his evidence cannot be verified.

If anyone is reading this who is a HRO and is presently serving a ban - make contact with your GP if you haven't already done so and get some LFT's booked in.

CJ

 

[price1367]

Evening

One of the biggest stumbling blocks HRO's fall foul of is not establishing regular contact with their GP's. I will explain the scenario -

John Doe is arrested for drink driving and gives a reading of 95 - he is banned for two years with a DVLA medical at the end. He passes the medical with flying colours with a CDT of 0.7%.

However, John Doe last visited his GP with a bad cough in 2006! The DVLA cannot confirm that John has refrained from drinking alcohol because he hasn't seen his GP in 15 years.

This is why regular contact with the GP is ESSENTIAL throughout the period of the drink driving ban for HRO's. Get a sobriety date documented early on with at least 12 months recorded medical progress and the DVLA medical team should be satisfied.

Some forum members have stated they work in safety critical roles with regular saliva and urine tests, but the DVLA will not accept this as evidence of sobriety. It is just the same with private CDTs. The DVLA will only accept evidence from your GP of ongoing sobriety.

Going back to John Doe - he has not touched alcohol since his arrest, but sadly because his sobriety is not documented in medical notes, the DVLA medical team WILL NOT accept John's account of not drinking because his evidence cannot be verified.

If anyone is reading this who is a HRO and is presently serving a ban - make contact with your GP if you haven't already done so and get some LFT's booked in.

CJ

Good summary, CJ, but don’t forget Jane Doe as well !!! Poor thing…….

 

[sillynurse]

I'm off to my gp as I did back in August just to let her know I'm still sober and also ask for a LFT so I'm one step ahead of the dvla still. Hoping dvla will count my sober time from march 2021.

 

[Gggp]

Thanks CJ 1980, ban finishes in 15 months will be sure to get the ball rolling!

I felt I was worrying unnecessarily but seems not!

 

[C J 1980]

Thanks CJ 1980, ban finishes in 15 months will be sure to get the ball rolling!

I felt I was worrying unnecessarily but seems not!

Gggp

As a HRO the DVLA could potentially put you in the category of either alcohol 'misuser' or alcohol 'dependant' if you have any recorded history of alcohol problems. The DVLA usually require 12 months documented sobriety in most cases, although I think misusers only need 6 months.

The problem comes when you have no declarable alcohol issues as a HRO and the DVLA decided to write to your GP anyway.

The regular LFT's are vital in ensuring you at least pass the threshold test for proving sobriety when it comes round to the period when the DVLA are reviewing your case file at the end of DUI ban.

There are quite a lot of HRO's who are oblivious to this process and simply think it is a case of passing the DVLA medical. However, their licence then gets refused when the DVLA can't confirm they have in fact been tee total.

Good luck over the next 15 months.

CJ