People need, and are used to having, medicals for all sorts of reasons; insurance, jobs and so on. However, there are a small group of people who need a specific medical assessment, by a doctor, to ensure they can apply for a driving licence.
There are two categories of people who must undergo a medical. Those who have suffered a medical episode that may have impaired their ability to drive anything and DVLA (The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority) need to be sure that they are well enough to drive again and those who are applying for a licence that can only be obtained if they can prove they are fit enough.
Like so much to do with driving, it is all quite complicated.
It is important to realise that the doctor examining you has no say in the decision made. That is made by DVLA’s own medical team who act on the information they receive.
Those in the first category will be assessed by their doctor and possibly a Hospital Consultant who will, after review, write to the DVLA with their findings.
Examples.
Hussein drives a Toyota on a normal car licence (category B) after passing his test when he was 19. He is at work one day in a warehouse. His colleagues hear a shout, and run to Hussein to find him shaking on the floor. They call the first aider, and Hussein gets taken to hospital by the paramedics. At hospital the doctors suspect that he has had a fit (epileptic seizure), and tell him that he must not drive until he has been seen by a specialist. He sees the specialist a few weeks later who does some tests and is satisfied that Hussein does not have epilepsy and so can drive. He notifies DVLA who agree and Hussein’s car (B) licence is restored to him.
Sally loves the motorhome life, and she and her husband were able to splash out on a large and luxurious motorhome when he retired. Unfortunately, he had a stroke and was no longer able to drive so Sally does all the driving now. Her motorhome weighs 4 tons. She can drive it until she is 70 because she has held a driving licence from before 1997 and this allowed the holder to drive medium size lorries (in broad terms, a motorcycle licence is category A, a car category B, a lorry from 3.5 tonnes to 7.5 tonnes category C1, a bus category D1 and there are other oddities such as track laying vehicles) without doing a further test. Everyone’s licence ceases to be valid when they are 70, and new licences don’t allow you to drive a C1 vehicle without a medical. Sally gets assessed by us at SEC Medical, we find she is fit and well, she sends the paperwork to DVLA and she and her husband can continue enjoying their motorhome.
John has applied for a job to drive a 44 tonne articulated lorry for a national supermarket. He has a car (B) licence. He needs to obtain a Class C licence. He has to pass a further theory and practical test and have a medical before he gains his Class C licence. He passes these, and SEC Medical assess him to the DVLA standard. Unfortunately, the vision in his right eye turns out to be slightly too poor and we warn him that DVLA will probably not allow him a licence. We leave the eye section blank as everything else is fine. John sees a local optometrist who corrects his vision with glasses. The optometrist signs that his vision is now fine with glasses and John’s licence application is approved by DVLA and he starts work delivering to supermarkets.
Hussein needs to see a specialist because of his problem but Sally and John can be assessed by us at SEC Medical, swiftly, inexpensively and professionally.