Summary for the Ombudsman.
The DVLA
idea of letting someone have a series of driving tests but not allowing them to
practise driving or even have driving lessons must stop.
I need to be
treated like a normal person. That means giving me a provisional driving
licence so that I can have driving lessons and practise driving with a
qualified driver in the car, towards taking a driving test.
This case is
complicated because both the DVLA and HAD (Hertfordshire
Action on Disability) have made mistakes, compounding each others’ errors.
I had a very serious illness . I came out
of hospital at the end of May 2008.
I
immediately continued to drive, in England and in Europe, without incident, for
a year. This matched my previous record of never having had a crash in more
than forty years of driving.
Six months
out of hospital I had to fill in forms for my driving licence because I was
approaching the age of 73, on 19 December 2008. I reported my very serious
medical problem, which had ended six months before.
The DVLA
sent my GP Dr. Ferguson a form to fill up which he duly did, without keeping a
copy. Dr. J G G Hanley, Medical Adviser to the DVLA,
refuses to give me a copy of the form. (But now 21 August 2010 that I have at last received the
Ferguson form, http://www.ivorcatt.org/x0834.jpg
. We now can see that the false ideas came from the DVLA or HAD.) I need this to help to establish
where false ideas originated, for instance that I am disabled (which I am not)
and that I am aged 84.
After a
further delay of six months, so that I had been out of hospital and driving
without incident for a year, the DVLA organised two tests for me – “Cognitive
and Perceptual Assessment” (in the office, exceeding one hour) and then a
driving test exceeding one hour.
Although in
the “Cognitive and Perceptual Assessment” in the office they told me I had high
scores, and I finally got hold of the very high marks very recently, see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 , the report on this test was shocking – see 6 and 7 . This report caused Dr. J G G
Hanley, Medical Adviser to the DVLA, to let me have another test but not allow
me to practise driving or have driving lessons before the test. Obviously,
being prevented from driving for six months or having driving lessons, my
driving could be expected to deteriorate, and I failed the second test,
although the second test report was much better than in the first.
Strangely,
When I asked whether it was true that they were giving me a second driving test
but not allowing me to have driving lessons before it, the DVLA’s
Dr. Hanley said that if I failed the second test he would consider letting me
have driving lessons before a third test. However, now he will not let me
practise driving, or have lessons, or take another test.
I went up
through the complaints procedure in the DVLA, which turned out to be circular.
I was persistently returned to their medical section, although the problem is
not medical, but driving competence. I have never in my life had a driving
lesson.
My high
marks in the marking sheets for the “Cognitive and Perceptual Assessment” show
that I am a normal person (with an unblemished driving record before and after
my illness). I should be treated like a normal person. That means giving me a
provisional driving licence so that I can have driving lessons and practise
driving with a qualified driver in the car, towards taking a driving test.
Ivor Catt 17 August 2010