Can anyone think of a way forward with this?

[buddhasbelly]

I’m on a medical driving licence and it gets reviewed yearly (18 months currently due to delays with DVLA).

I got my letter telling me to go to book a medical assessment appt with a gp at a practice (4 hrs away but fine I’ll take what I can get).

you have to do this within 12 weeks of receiving the letter from dvla - I received mine on Saturday but it’s dated from a month ago.

thing is - the gp practice don’t have any appointments available.

if that’s the case the dvla advise you to contact them except I’ve tried doing so on a few occasions on the run up to this and it appears they no longer have anyone on their telephone system. It just says “we’re too busy” and it hangs up.

has anyone actually managed to speak to the dvla recently or is it automated? If I don’t get through to anyone they’ll just cancel my application

TLDR: need gp appt for medical drivers assessment. No appts available but can’t get through to dvla to tell them

I had trouble getting a provisional licence back, so I put in an official complaint on line via their service, and suddenly I was contacted and it arrived 😉

It said on the news a few weeks ago that the DVLA were working from home! The reporter went to the main office, showed how many (or few!!) Cars were in the carpark, where they should be 3000 staff. I attempted to renew my license on line, didn't work.....I got to that "certain age". DD managed to do it online,new licence arrived in 3 Days! I was staggered. DH(NOT the certain age, his was just date expiring) would work online,he had to go to a post office,pay and renew. Golly,you have a long journey to GP, I haven't tried it myself, but I understand that you can pay a one off fee (£45 was quoted) on a forum I belong to,to see a private GP. Hope this helps.

Meant to read DH COULDN'T renew online. I was thinking perhaps you could get a private appointment nearer you.

Thanks both - my medical is drink related - never had a point on my license, sober for years, never drunk driven but self reported at the time (YEARS AGO) and now need this every year.

im in the north of Scotland so the transport options to get there are v limited and frequently cancelled in the winter.

im not able to pay to do private as they assign the gp and don’t allow any private assessment.

im actually on hold to dvla now!!! Managed to get through after repeated ringing. I’ve basically been on mini trips across the north of Scotland when they send me to random test centres over the years.

Try contacting them on Twitter, that worked for me a year or so ago.

Also, is there away you can use a different GP?

@nannybeach thanks yes got what you meant - if I could go private I would but they won’t allow it. Sober for bloody years. Absolute pain 🙃

@VanGoghsDog thanks will try twitter. No they won’t allow a different gp unfortunately. Have tried that before, should’ve said

17 mins on hold. We could start taking bets as to when I’ll get through. I’m down for 9.22am

That's an absolute pain in the area for you, and a waste of time and money all round.
How completely bonkers they can't update your records

@lovelilies ach I know. It is what it is but every year this comes up and every year I’m still sober. Feels like a waste of resources after all this time given I have no record of drink driving.

my own gp 2 mins down the road actually does the tests but have told dvla they will not take any more medical assessment appointments. The whole appt will take 20 mins but will be a 14 hr day due to transport times once sorted.

The only time I got a response was when I used the online complaints form. Don't use Twitter, they just tell you to phone the helpline.

Fab thank you @LesserKnownKardashian