DVLA revoked my licence after GP form error about anxiety treatment

[Dolly89]

Not sure where this post fits but wondering if anyone has experience of the following situation.

I’ve suffered with mild anxiety for a very long time and in 2018 it all came to a head with work and my husband being involved in a car accident. So through consultation with my dr I began taking Citalopram 10mg and it made my daily life so much better. Anyway fast forward to a few years ago, I collected my prescription and on the sticker was a note caution:driving may be impaired. This was never an issue for me and I spoke with the pharmacy who said it can cause issues but usually when you begin taking it. I looked up on the DVLA website at the time and anxiety and depression are conditions they need to be aware of. So I diligently informed them and got a letter back saying this was fine and no restrictions. Then April this year, my job became incredibly stressful and I was in my second trimester of my second pregnancy which had taken much more of a toll on me and my body. I went back to the GP who suggested we up my dose to 20mg. As there was a change in my dose I thought I needed to let the DVLA know (I didn’t as it turned out!) this was mid April. Anyway 3-4 weeks later they wrote to me and said that they would need more information my from doctor before making a final decision. This form was sent to them and from my records I can see the GP did this on the 29th May, well over a month after I’d first been seen! Unfortunately the error on my part was I put down who my GP was and not who I saw. So this GP went off the notes And ticked the boxes to say that I wasn’t well and stable to drive (as I’d mentioned mild brain fog and cognitive fatigue) and my anxiety was likely to impair my driving. This has never been the case. Then this week I get a letter from the DVLA who have now revoked my license due my mental health condition not being well and stable for me to drive safely!

I phoned the GP straight away after checking the notes that had been sent to the DVLA and a really lovely GP has written in my defence. She noted that the GP should have been more careful in completing the form and I suggested they should have called me as the time passed had been over a month! I’ve also contacted the DVLA who have said that they can make my case priority and I’ve given them the details of the email sent from the GP.

So I guess I’m asking has anyone been in this situation and their license was successfully reinstated and the timeframe was quick? The irony is, I’m now anxious there’s going to be a back log or some complication meaning I don’t get it back, simply because it’s was too honest!

Hi OP

First of all, I'm really sorry to hear this.

I have experience of this but want to be clear that my case is different from yours. Don't leap ahead to worst case scenario on the basis of my experience.

When I had my licence revoked (for a severe mental illness) it took a very long time to get it back. Multiple calls to the helpline (in a queue for an hour and after this call was cut off again and again). Letters unanswered.

After 18 months of this I got my MP involved and my licence plopped through the door later that week.

Takeaway points:

• Send letters by recorded delivery
• include copies of correspondence with GP regarding the GP who completed the original form.
• Do not hesitate to complain and involve your MP

This was several years ago and perhaps they have fixed all of these issues, I really hope so.

I dithered about responding to you because I don't have a positive story, but this is quite niche and you may not have loads of replies.

I don't know whether you live rurally or not, but you may be able to get a disabled person's bus pass. This was mentioned to me but I never looked into it so may not be appropriate for you.

Wishing you the very best of luck.

Thank you for you’re reply!

Wow that sounds like a total nightmare for you!

Thank you for being honest though. I’m hopeful that as my condition is mild they will reinstate quickly. My plan is to call 1-2 times a week to check progress. They did say it can take up to 10 working days for emails/letters they receive to be processed and put on the system and passed to the correct department- purely because of the volume they receive!

Everyone so far has been understanding and helpful. It’s just such a big thing not to have your license. I’ve been driving 18 years no issues now this.

Goodness me, I wouldn't have bothered letting the DVLA know about this. Half the population of the UK are on SSRI's. You don't have to tell them every little thing unless you actually think it will impair your driving.

I hope you get your license back soon, what a pain for you x

Yes a few people have since told me this but at the time their website made it sound as if they did need to know. Even though, as I’ve said it’s not an issue for me. I didn’t want to invalidate my insurance.

it’s a massive pain which I’m hopeful will resolve quickly!

My father had his licence revoked and his Consultant sent all the relevant info through to reinstate it. Took the DVLA 12 months to do it, even though he was meant to be a priority.

My Dad had his licence revoked around 4/5 years ago as he was on anti psychotic meds and he was an absolute mess. He got his back after 12 months and a letter from his psychiatrist that he was fit to drive. The process of getting it back was actually really quick!
Incidentally he’s been back on the same meds last year and a high dose and this time the psychiatrist said he is fine to drive…

Millions of people have brain fog and are on SSRI's. The country would grind to a halt if the DVLA started removing everyone's licences.

In the mean time, all the boy racers on weed would have the roads to themselves.

Oh no! When was this?

I’m seriously worried about how long this will take! 😢

Really sorry to pile on with extra news OP but it just struck me.

I only get a time limited licence now, initially one year, then another year and now three years.

It's not a massive deal, just a hassle paperwork wise.

And check your car insurance details carefully when you renew. Unfortunately I had to declare when I did and it wasn't a good outcome cost wise.

MIND have some good resources specifically regarding this, I do encourage you to have a look.

Again, I'm sorry 😞

It took me just shy of two years to get mine back after two years of no seizures (epilepsy).

Lost a job due to the time it took.

This was several years ago.

He’s just got it back in the last 3 weeks.

Sorry OP but someone I know is currently having a nightmare getting hers back.

She was hospitalised with something that you’re required to tell the DVLA about, and her licence was revoked. She’s now fully recovered, it’s not something that recurs, and drs are totally happy for her to drive. She’s been advised that it will be months before getting her licence back.

And sorry OP my post was more of a warning to plan ahead that it may not be quick at all, particularly if you will have a newborn

My Mum had hers revoked after she passed out and the hospital couldn’t work out why. Once she’d finally convinced medical professionals she was fine it still took a few months of her pestering the DVLA to get it back, as they claimed to have a backlog. This was about 12 months ago.

Hope yours is quicker.

Oh gosh what a nightmare.

I had mine revoked and it did take a while to get it back, longer than the given time frames.

I found it very difficult to talk to an actual person at the DVLA. This was a few years ago. Things might have improved.

In the mean time, you are eligible for a free bus pass, there is also the access to work scheme which will fund taxis if for some reason you can't get public transport to work.

I know- the price I’m paying for being too honest. 😢

Thank you everyone for your replies.

I’m planning on phoning next week and each week to keep up to date with it. I am getting to the point in my pregnancy that I’ll stop driving because my bump is too big and as I’m having a planned c-section I won’t be able to drive for 6-8 weeks after. So hopefully by the end of September I’ll have it back. I’m hopeful that as my condition is not complicated they shouldn’t see issue with it! I’ve left my insurance for now as I don’t want any more complications if it then suddenly turns round within a week I can drive again! (I was told by the lady at the DVLA I can keep hold of my driving licence use it for ID purposes!)

I take citalopram at a much higher dosage and it has never occurred to me I might need to inform the DVLA 😬

My husband notified DVLA when he had his first seizure about ten years ago, and was initially told he couldn’t drive. Once it was established that he was only having sleep seizures rather than awake ones, the neurologist supported his application to get his license back. Like other people have said, it took a year to get it back and DVLA were absolutely horrendous to deal with.

Crikey! That seems awful. Why do they take so long?

The big list of things you're 'supposed' to tell the DVLA of means that barely anyone would be behind the wheel of a car.

Good luck.

It was just endless bureaucracy. The DVLA wouldn’t accept the report from a leading neurosurgeon from a major London teaching hospital thst he was fit to drive and insisted on my husband seeing a neurologist of their choosing who was far less qualified than the consultant who had seen him and told him that he could drive again. When it got to the point where he was able to apply for his license again, my husband sent in his application and after several weeks of hearing nothing, spent ages talking to an incredibly rude person at the DVLA, who was being really disruptive and unhelpful. After half an hour going round in circles, my husband told him that he was being a dickhead, which was a very big mistake on his part, and was passed to his supervisor. A few days later, his application was returned with a message saying that the ID photo didn't meet the DVLA standard. Unbelievably the photo that was sent back had been photoshopped with a big penis superimposed over my husband’s face, presumably by the man he had called a dickhead. It’s hard to believe, but we’ve still got the photo and letter.

Sadly they have huge backlogs.

You don’t have to inform your insurance if your licence is revoked.
i’m on my third like surrendering my licence and have checked with the insurance company each time
(I have epilepsy. It’s a standard 12 months driving ban after a siezure)

Yeah, nothing changed and you never had any issues driving so you shouldn't have told them about the dose increase. Imagine if every single time someone was prescribed something as common as SSRI they had to run it by the DVLA!

I hope it gets sorted for you soon. X