DVLA - if patient does not notify DVLA of medical condition

Last reviewed 01/2018

Notification to DVLA of particular medical condition

• it is the duty of the licence holder or licence applicant to notify DVLA of any medical condition, which may affect safe driving. On occasions however, there are circumstances in which the licence holder cannot, or will not do so.

The GMC has issued guidance applicable to such circumstances where a patient cannot, or will not, notify the DVLA of a particular medical condition where DVLA guidance has stated that notification should occur. These guidance states:

1. The DVLA is legally responsible for deciding if a person is medically unfit to drive. They need to know when driving licence holders have a condition, which may, now or in the future, affect their safety as a driver

2. Therefore, where patients have such conditions, you should:

Make sure that the patients understand that the condition may impair their ability to drive. If a patient is incapable of understanding this advice, for example because of dementia, you should inform the DVLA immediately

Explain to patients that they have a legal duty to inform the DVLA about the condition

3. If the patients refuse to accept the diagnosis or the effect of the condition on their ability to drive, you can suggest that the patients seek a second opinion, and make appropriate arrangements for the patients to do so. You should advise patients not to drive until the second opinion has been obtained

4. If patients continue to drive when they are not fit to do so, you should make every reasonable effort to persuade them to stop. This may include telling their next of kin

5. If you do not manage to persuade patients to stop driving, or you are given or find evidence that a patient is continuing to drive contrary to advice, you should disclose relevant medical information immediately, in confidence, to the medical adviser at DVLA

6. Before giving information to the DVLA you should inform the patient of your decision to do so. Once the DVLA has been informed, you should also write to the patient, to confirm that a disclosure has been made

Please check latest version of DVLA guidance for most up-to-date information.

Reference:

• (1) DVLA (February 2016). For Medical Practitioners. At a glance guide to the medical standards for fitness to drive.