Reporting medical condition DVLA

Monkey22

Okay so I have 2 conditions listed on the DVLA website
first is mild Tourette’s that since the age of 13, when I started learning to drive I asked my doctor who checked on my Tourette’s and as stated in my medical records feels it will not affect my driving and I don’t need to report it 
the second is depression and anxiety which I didn’t realise until now needed reporting but following the guidelines on the DVLA website the things I’m affected with mean I don’t need to report it, baring one thing- suicidal thoughts
I have struggled With them in the past but on my medical records the last time was before I had my license or was working. Since then it’s stated on my records when I’ve been to my gp that there’s been no suicidal thoughts. My question is- I’ve had an accident recently I was hit from behind Whilst stationary and the 3rd party admitted liability.  the incident has impacted my mental health as I mentioned in the medical. Because of this aswell as whiplash my solicitors are claiming for the impact on my mental health, with the depression and anxiety they want my medical records. Is this something that will open a tin of worms and will they pass info to the DVLA and then I’ll have to be mithered with medicals to prove the conditions don’t affect driving it is it not something that will happen as the accident wasn’t my fault, and secondly neither condition honestly affects my driving at all, if anything did I’d report it. But with having suicidal thoughts BEFORE having my license is this something the DVLA will give me trouble over? I’ve heard horror stories of them suspending your license until you’ve been checked or pre emptively revoking it so I’m just fearing the worst especially recently as I’ve had a lot of bad luck for example the accident. Overall is this something that once they see my medical records they’ll start overly looking into and report and secondly is it something the DVLA will give me trouble over?

[Deleted User]

From experience, what ever you do don't ring the call centre. It's staffed by operators with no medical knowledge and no authority to transfer you to anyone who has, so you won't get any answers from them, and if you mention the wrong word they'll confiscate your licence on the spot. When that happens it's a 4-5 month job to get it back. 

On the other hand, if you check what you're supposed to tell them and then print off the form from the website, you've covered your backside, and the odds are you'll just get a letter saying it's fine, with nothing more to do.

Monkey22

jack_pott said:

From experience, what ever you do don't ring the call centre. It's staffed by operators with no medical knowledge and no authority to transfer you to anyone who has, so you won't get any answers from them, and if you mention the wrong word they'll confiscate your licence on the spot. When that happens it's a 4-5 month job to get it back. 

On the other hand, if you check what you're supposed to tell them and then print off the form from the website, you've covered your backside, and the odds are you'll just get a letter saying it's fine, with nothing more to do.

Hi and thanks for the reply. With the accident not being my fault is it likely that my solicitor or whoever else has requested to see my medical records (presumably the other guys insurance) will pass this to the DVLA In the first place it is it unlikely to cause issue given that I’m not the one being investigated?

[Deleted User]

I wouldn't have thought solicitors can access your records without your consent, can they? If the defence see a loophole they're likely to exploit it, so I would have thought it best to declare directly to the DVLA before they do, because if it looks like you're hiding something it's likely to make them start digging.


Last time I contacted the DVLA it was about heart arrhythmia. I had asked the doctor about it previously, but they'd just avoided the question, and it wasn't until some time later that I discovered that notification was compulsory. As I mentioned above, I just filled in the form and there was no problem, I just got  a letter back telling me I could keep my licence. (When I rang them about migraine on a previous occasion I had my licence confiscated on the spot by the kid in the call centre who said "what's a migraine".)