John H
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I have just had the D4 medical in order to retain my C1 entitlement to drive my 4.5 tonne motorhome and thought my experience might be of value to others who are coming up to it:
1. I ordered the D2/D4 pack online from DVLA and it arrived within a week.
2. I booked a medical through an agency rather than my own GP because:
a) they guaranteed to arrange a medical within 48 hours (you try getting it that fast through your GP!)
b) they charged £50, which was less than my doctor would have charged
c) they could arrange both the medical and eye-test simultaneously
3. There are several agencies but I chose Ryminster because they seemed to have the greatest coverage of doctors in my home area.
4. The medical can be arranged up to 4 months prior to your 70th birthday but the D2 application (which has to accompany the completed D4 form) cannot be sent off prior to 3 months before your birthday.
5. The medical lasted around 30 minutes and consisted mostly of questions which I answered verbally and the doctor wrote down the replies. The only tests were:
a) blood pressure
b) urine test (for diabetes)
c) eye test (if you wear glasses then you have to take your prescription)
6. Since I have no history of heart or other major problems, that was all there was to it. I understand that others, who have had, for example, heart attacks, have been asked to do further tests - including the treadmill - and that they were only granted a licence for a year at a time. Normally, the licence is granted for 3 years.
7. I have now sent off both the D2 and D4 forms and am informed that my new licence should be sent to me within three weeks (hopefully!). They ask you to return your old licence with the application but others advised me not to. I phoned DVLA prior to sending the application off and told them that I needed my licence because I would be hiring cars in Spain over the next few weeks. That satisfied them and I sent a covering letter to this effect with the application.
Anyway, I used the week in Blighty well and visited friends and family as well as attending the medical. Now I am back in the sun and have booked my return ferry for three weeks after my birthday so they'd better grant me a new one or I am in deep doodoo.
1. I ordered the D2/D4 pack online from DVLA and it arrived within a week.
2. I booked a medical through an agency rather than my own GP because:
a) they guaranteed to arrange a medical within 48 hours (you try getting it that fast through your GP!)
b) they charged £50, which was less than my doctor would have charged
c) they could arrange both the medical and eye-test simultaneously
3. There are several agencies but I chose Ryminster because they seemed to have the greatest coverage of doctors in my home area.
4. The medical can be arranged up to 4 months prior to your 70th birthday but the D2 application (which has to accompany the completed D4 form) cannot be sent off prior to 3 months before your birthday.
5. The medical lasted around 30 minutes and consisted mostly of questions which I answered verbally and the doctor wrote down the replies. The only tests were:
a) blood pressure
b) urine test (for diabetes)
c) eye test (if you wear glasses then you have to take your prescription)
6. Since I have no history of heart or other major problems, that was all there was to it. I understand that others, who have had, for example, heart attacks, have been asked to do further tests - including the treadmill - and that they were only granted a licence for a year at a time. Normally, the licence is granted for 3 years.
7. I have now sent off both the D2 and D4 forms and am informed that my new licence should be sent to me within three weeks (hopefully!). They ask you to return your old licence with the application but others advised me not to. I phoned DVLA prior to sending the application off and told them that I needed my licence because I would be hiring cars in Spain over the next few weeks. That satisfied them and I sent a covering letter to this effect with the application.
Anyway, I used the week in Blighty well and visited friends and family as well as attending the medical. Now I am back in the sun and have booked my return ferry for three weeks after my birthday so they'd better grant me a new one or I am in deep doodoo.
