Driving after a bleed on the brain

Mrcsmrs

Apologies if this isn’t the right place for this but I can’t seem to find an answer anywhere so hoping someone here might be able to help. 

I had a small subarachnoid haemorrhage at the beginning of November. No sign of any aneurysms and I was released from hospital two days later. I was told not to drive and to let DVLA know. 

Unfortunately I didn’t realise I could let DVLA know immediately and stupidly waited, thinking I needed to have had my follow up assessment with my consultant. I recently realised this isn’t the case and completed form B1 which I’ve had an acknowledgment of receipt from DVLA for. 

My license hasn’t expired, as far as I can tell I haven’t surrendered my license or been told to, but I cannot seem to find out anywhere if I’m allowed to drive again should my consultant give me the go ahead at my follow up appointment which is later this week. 

Apparently it can take DVLA months to respond to these forms but my job involves driving and I’ve been off for 3 months now. I’ve never had a seizure, never lost consciousness and other than feeling more tired than usual, I’m pretty much back to normal. My GP is happy but says I need my consultant to agree which is fine of course. I get it. But do I then need to wait months after they’ve agreed for DVLA to confirm? I don’t think I come under section 88 rules because I haven’t surrendered my license that I’m aware of; certainly nothing on form B1 says that and it didn’t expire so where do I stand? 

Very grateful if anyone can help. Thank you. 

marcia_

Mrcsmrs said:

Apologies if this isn’t the right place for this but I can’t seem to find an answer anywhere so hoping someone here might be able to help. 

I had a small subarachnoid haemorrhage at the beginning of November. No sign of any aneurysms and I was released from hospital two days later. I was told not to drive and to let DVLA know. 

Unfortunately I didn’t realise I could let DVLA know immediately and stupidly waited, thinking I needed to have had my follow up assessment with my consultant. I recently realised this isn’t the case and completed form B1 which I’ve had an acknowledgment of receipt from DVLA for. 

My license hasn’t expired, as far as I can tell I haven’t surrendered my license or been told to, but I cannot seem to find out anywhere if I’m allowed to drive again should my consultant give me the go ahead at my follow up appointment which is later this week. 

Apparently it can take DVLA months to respond to these forms but my job involves driving and I’ve been off for 3 months now. I’ve never had a seizure, never lost consciousness and other than feeling more tired than usual, I’m pretty much back to normal. My GP is happy but says I need my consultant to agree which is fine of course. I get it. But do I then need to wait months after they’ve agreed for DVLA to confirm? I don’t think I come under section 88 rules because I haven’t surrendered my license that I’m aware of; certainly nothing on form B1 says that and it didn’t expire so where do I stand? 

Very grateful if anyone can help. Thank you. 

 When I was told not to drive I filled in the form and was told I couldn't drive until the medical assessment was completed. I would ring dvla and ask them. Btw it can take more than 3 months I waited 6 months last time. 

Mark_d

If you have your consultant's  statement which says you are fit to drive, then I think driving is ok. It's your consultant who needs to assess whether you are fit to drive, not the DVLA

marcia_

Mark_d said:

If you have your consultant's  statement which says you are fit to drive, then I think driving is ok. It's your consultant who needs to assess whether you are fit to drive, not the DVLA

 Wrong. Consultant can advise but the DVLA have their own doctors who carry out the assessment. 

 Nether my GP or consultant were contacted as part of their assessment of if i could drive. 

Mrcsmrs

marcia_ said:

Mrcsmrs said:

Apologies if this isn’t the right place for this but I can’t seem to find an answer anywhere so hoping someone here might be able to help. 

I had a small subarachnoid haemorrhage at the beginning of November. No sign of any aneurysms and I was released from hospital two days later. I was told not to drive and to let DVLA know. 

Unfortunately I didn’t realise I could let DVLA know immediately and stupidly waited, thinking I needed to have had my follow up assessment with my consultant. I recently realised this isn’t the case and completed form B1 which I’ve had an acknowledgment of receipt from DVLA for. 

My license hasn’t expired, as far as I can tell I haven’t surrendered my license or been told to, but I cannot seem to find out anywhere if I’m allowed to drive again should my consultant give me the go ahead at my follow up appointment which is later this week. 

Apparently it can take DVLA months to respond to these forms but my job involves driving and I’ve been off for 3 months now. I’ve never had a seizure, never lost consciousness and other than feeling more tired than usual, I’m pretty much back to normal. My GP is happy but says I need my consultant to agree which is fine of course. I get it. But do I then need to wait months after they’ve agreed for DVLA to confirm? I don’t think I come under section 88 rules because I haven’t surrendered my license that I’m aware of; certainly nothing on form B1 says that and it didn’t expire so where do I stand? 

Very grateful if anyone can help. Thank you. 

 When I was told not to drive I filled in the form and was told I couldn't drive until the medical assessment was completed. I would ring dvla and ask them. Btw it can take more than 3 months I waited 6 months last time. 

Thank you for your comment. Can I ask who told you not to drive please? Did someone come back to you from DVLA to say not to drive or was it your doctors, and if so, do you mind me asking when this was said? 

Other than my original hospital admittance and my discharge notes saying I should not drive and I should inform DVLA nobody has said anything more about driving. I am likely to lose my job if it takes them 6 months to get back to me as I’ve already been off for three months and only realised I could send it in just over a week ago. 

Thank you. 

Mrcsmrs

Mark_d said:

If you have your consultant's  statement which says you are fit to drive, then I think driving is ok. It's your consultant who needs to assess whether you are fit to drive, not the DVLA

Thank you. This is what I was hoping but I can’t find anything anywhere that confirms it. I think I’m going to have to call them and ask. My employer is great but even they can’t keep me on indefinitely over this. Plus we live in a really remote area and it means I’m totally dependent on family to go anywhere. I wouldn’t want to put anyone at risk but waiting for them to do a tick box check and taking 6 months over it just seems a pointless way to lose me my job. 

sheslookinhot

marcia_ said:

Mark_d said:

If you have your consultant's  statement which says you are fit to drive, then I think driving is ok. It's your consultant who needs to assess whether you are fit to drive, not the DVLA

 Wrong. Consultant can advise but the DVLA have their own doctors who carry out the assessment. 

 Nether my GP or consultant were contacted as part of their assessment of if i could drive. 

The assessment is carried out by the surgeons in the Neurological unit.

sheslookinhot

This was useful after my wife’s incident.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/neurological-disorders-assessing-fitness-to-drive#subarachnoid-haemorrhage

marcia_

Mrcsmrs said:

marcia_ said:

Mrcsmrs said:

Apologies if this isn’t the right place for this but I can’t seem to find an answer anywhere so hoping someone here might be able to help. 

I had a small subarachnoid haemorrhage at the beginning of November. No sign of any aneurysms and I was released from hospital two days later. I was told not to drive and to let DVLA know. 

Unfortunately I didn’t realise I could let DVLA know immediately and stupidly waited, thinking I needed to have had my follow up assessment with my consultant. I recently realised this isn’t the case and completed form B1 which I’ve had an acknowledgment of receipt from DVLA for. 

My license hasn’t expired, as far as I can tell I haven’t surrendered my license or been told to, but I cannot seem to find out anywhere if I’m allowed to drive again should my consultant give me the go ahead at my follow up appointment which is later this week. 

Apparently it can take DVLA months to respond to these forms but my job involves driving and I’ve been off for 3 months now. I’ve never had a seizure, never lost consciousness and other than feeling more tired than usual, I’m pretty much back to normal. My GP is happy but says I need my consultant to agree which is fine of course. I get it. But do I then need to wait months after they’ve agreed for DVLA to confirm? I don’t think I come under section 88 rules because I haven’t surrendered my license that I’m aware of; certainly nothing on form B1 says that and it didn’t expire so where do I stand? 

Very grateful if anyone can help. Thank you. 

 When I was told not to drive I filled in the form and was told I couldn't drive until the medical assessment was completed. I would ring dvla and ask them. Btw it can take more than 3 months I waited 6 months last time. 

Thank you for your comment. Can I ask who told you not to drive please? Did someone come back to you from DVLA to say not to drive or was it your doctors, and if so, do you mind me asking when this was said? 

Other than my original hospital admittance and my discharge notes saying I should not drive and I should inform DVLA nobody has said anything more about driving. I am likely to lose my job if it takes them 6 months to get back to me as I’ve already been off for three months and only realised I could send it in just over a week ago. 

Thank you. 

 It was the DVLA over the telephone when i rang to inform them i had a seizure. They told me to fill in the health questionnaire and not to drive which is why i suggested ringing them to confirm. 

Car_54

marcia_ said:

Mark_d said:

If you have your consultant's  statement which says you are fit to drive, then I think driving is ok. It's your consultant who needs to assess whether you are fit to drive, not the DVLA

 Wrong. Consultant can advise but the DVLA have their own doctors who carry out the assessment. 

 Nether my GP or consultant were contacted as part of their assessment of if i could drive. 

I'd suggest your experience is not typical. Did the DVLA doctor examine you?

In my case, the consultant and GP were contacted, and I was given the all-clear. 

marcia_

Car_54 said:

marcia_ said:

Mark_d said:

If you have your consultant's  statement which says you are fit to drive, then I think driving is ok. It's your consultant who needs to assess whether you are fit to drive, not the DVLA

 Wrong. Consultant can advise but the DVLA have their own doctors who carry out the assessment. 

 Nether my GP or consultant were contacted as part of their assessment of if i could drive. 

I'd suggest your experience is not typical. Did the DVLA doctor examine you?

In my case, the consultant and GP were contacted, and I was given the all-clear. 

 They didn't physically examine me but sent a load of questionnaires i had to fill in. I assume they believed i was truthful because i asked my doctors had they been contacted and they said no