How to make a complaint about the DVLA medical assessment process

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Jones898989

Member
Evening All,

I am classed as a high risk offender but have never had alcohol dependency & there is nothing on my medical records to show this.

My medical examination is on the 4th July & I stopped drinking a week ago (03/06/22).

Prior to this, I do tend to enjoy a few pints on the weekend and my birthday was around the 20th May which was a heavy session - Will this affect my medical results?

I just wanted to know, how far back can the blood test detect alcohol intake?

Also, I am due to go on holiday next week and would like to have a few drinks (2 Pints) however would this br a stupid idea?

Thankyou!
 
I failed my medical last year. I had completely stopped drinking one week before and my reading was still 4.1 I now drink alcohol free Heineken or Becks Blue. Personally I would suggest total abstinence for at least 4 weeks. I took a gamble one week abstinence would be enough but for me it wasn't.
 
Hi
I have my medical on Monday 13th June 2022.
The past 6 months I usually have a couple strong ciders on the weekend. The past month I’ve reigned it in more by just having lager shandy’s or G&T mixer tins. Not drank now for a fortnight.
Been taking milk thistle tablets everyday & multi vitamins as I’ve been told this helps. Who knows 🤷‍♂️ I’ll soon find out hey!!
From what I’ve read on this forum I’d say it’s best not to drink in the month leading upto your medical mate. You need to think 🤔 is it worth your licence?? From me it’s a no…
I’m classed HRO as well. It’s a right pain in the arse!! Good luck with your medical & let us know how it goes alright. 💪
I’ll post on Monday to let you know how it went & what to expect at yours.
 
Princesspoppy said:
I failed my medical last year. I had completely stopped drinking one week before and my reading was still 4.1 I now drink alcohol free Heineken or Becks Blue. Personally I would suggest total abstinence for at least 4 weeks. I took a gamble one week abstinence would be enough but for me it wasn't.
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Thankyou so much for your response, really helpful!
 
Darron79 said:
Hi
I have my medical on Monday 13th June 2022.
The past 6 months I usually have a couple strong ciders on the weekend. The past month I’ve reigned it in more by just having lager shandy’s or G&T mixer tins. Not drank now for a fortnight.
Been taking milk thistle tablets everyday & multi vitamins as I’ve been told this helps. Who knows 🤷‍♂️ I’ll soon find out hey!!
From what I’ve read on this forum I’d say it’s best not to drink in the month leading upto your medical mate. You need to think 🤔 is it worth your licence?? From me it’s a no…
I’m classed HRO as well. It’s a right pain in the arse!! Good luck with your medical & let us know how it goes alright. 💪
I’ll post on Monday to let you know how it went & what to expect at yours.
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Thankyou, I think it’s not best to risk it like you said. Good luck for your medical!
 
I’m having my medical on 5th July. I stopped drinking a week ago to give myself four weeks off it. I hope this is enough.

Good luck everyone x
 
I haven’t drank for 3 months due to get my licence back in august just waiting for them to send out relevant forms so I can book it but I’ve been informed I have to be drug and drink free for 6 months any advice
 
Jamiedunford said:
I haven’t drank for 3 months due to get my licence back in august just waiting for them to send out relevant forms so I can book it but I’ve been informed I have to be drug and drink free for 6 months any advice
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Advice - Have a drink and drug free 6 months.
 
If you’re a daily drinker you need to stop at least 42 days before. Milk thistle, vitamins etc don’t make a difference with how your body processes alcohol.

Be mindful as well that the questionnaire asks how often you have have consumed excess of XX (I think 6?) units of alcohol at any one time over the last year.
 
Well I had my medical on Monday. I was in there 3 minutes. Asked height & weight, took bloods, took £98.50 that was that!!
I was surprised how many people were there for dvla medicals!! What a queue man!!
Doctor was making a killing ha ha, lucky git.
No wonder he worked through his lunch too. He was seeing everyone in under 5 minutes flat.
Been told it’s a 6 week wait for results now… 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
 
Cdt has a half life of 15 days. So, if you were currently at 3.0, in 15 days time you would score 1.5 and in a further 15 days reach 0.75

It's been reported to gain the lowest score to find no traces of alcohol is 90 days, around 12weeks.
Anyone with an impending CDT, I would advise complete abstinence for as long as possible up to 12 weeks. If you can only do 30 days, at least the value would be cut in half twice.
 
I stopped drinking for 3 weeks before my DVLA medical - prior to that I was drinking a pint in the evening pretty much everyday but never large amounts of alcohol. I also used milk thistle and drank a LOT of water daily. I was advised to drink a large amount of water the day before and the day of the test - my CDT score came back in the lowest possible range (indicative of abstinence from alcohol). I think that CDT scores are not an exact science and are not just affected by alcohol. I also think that it’s awful that people can be classed as high risk offenders and have their licence kept from them based on an opinion.
 
Hawkerj96 said:
I stopped drinking for 3 weeks before my DVLA medical - prior to that I was drinking a pint in the evening pretty much everyday but never large amounts of alcohol. I also used milk thistle and drank a LOT of water daily. I was advised to drink a large amount of water the day before and the day of the test - my CDT score came back in the lowest possible range (indicative of abstinence from alcohol). I think that CDT scores are not an exact science and are not just affected by alcohol. I also think that it’s awful that people can be classed as high risk offenders and have their licence kept from them based on an opinion.
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CDT is an exact science. It is just some people have a higher background level than others. It is one of the most effective measures for assessing alcohol misuse as there are very few other factors involved other than alcohol intake. I don't know who told you to drink lots of water before your medical, it makes absolutely no difference to your CDT levels....
 
Darron79 said:
Well I had my medical on Monday. I was in there 3 minutes. Asked height & weight, took bloods, took £98.50 that was that!!
I was surprised how many people were there for dvla medicals!! What a queue man!!
Doctor was making a killing ha ha, lucky git.
No wonder he worked through his lunch too. He was seeing everyone in under 5 minutes flat.
Been told it’s a 6 week wait for results now… 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
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Was your medical with your GP? Or was it with a DVLA medical centre with a DVLA approved doctor?
 
BigTom said:
CDT is an exact science. It is just some people have a higher background level than others. It is one of the most effective measures for assessing alcohol misuse as there are very few other factors involved other than alcohol intake. I don't know who told you to drink lots of water before your medical, it makes absolutely no difference to your CDT levels....
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Maybe the water was so I wasn’t dehydrated and it’s easier to take blood. I don’t know I’m not a doctor or a scientist - just sharing my experience.
 
BigTom said:
CDT is an exact science. It is just some people have a higher background level than others. It is one of the most effective measures for assessing alcohol misuse as there are very few other factors involved other than alcohol intake. I don't know who told you to drink lots of water before your medical, it makes absolutely no difference to your CDT levels....
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If it is an exact science, how does testing account for people having ‘higher background levels’ than others? How does it account for the very few other factors involved’?
 
Hawkerj96 said:
If it is an exact science, how does testing account for people having ‘higher background levels’ than others? How does it account for the very few other factors involved’?
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It accounts for different base levels by not expecting a zero level to be acceptable as an indication of no excess alcohol intake.

As for the other factors that may affect the CDT reading, if there are medical reasons for a high level, DVLA will take this into account with the relevant proof from a suitably qualified medical professional.....

Not sure where you going here????
 
BigTom said:
It accounts for different base levels by not expecting a zero level to be acceptable as an indication of no excess alcohol intake.

As for the other factors that may affect the CDT reading, if there are medical reasons for a high level, DVLA will take this into account with the relevant proof from a suitably qualified medical professional.....

Not sure where you going here????
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I’m just wondering because as I said I’m not a doctor or a scientist.

It just seems odd to call it an exact science, to say that people have different ‘background CDT levels’ and then not be able to account for those levels in comparison to the total level to establish a real reading?
 
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