Anyone any experience of not being allowed to drive after a diagnosis of heart failure? What are criteria for it? Is it temporary or permanent? What happens -e.g does GP inform the DVLA?
This query is on behalf of a relative who has just been discharged from hospital with this diagnosis & told not to drive but no other info given.
They need to tell the DVLA. The guidelines are here:
gov.uk/government/publicati...
One thing they must not do is drive as they penalties can be severe and their insurance invalid. They may be able to resume driving but much will depend on treatment, response to treatment and other health factors.
I would disagree, Heart Failure (by itself) does not need to be reported however, If they have been advised NOT to drive then they shouldn't until they are advised that they can. If they drive then their insurance would be void.
No one here knows your relatives medical condition, what caused the heart failure, will an implantable device be fitted, does their condition mean they're prone to passing out/fainting etc, people are told not to drive for different reasons so no one in the group will be able to answer your questions. You would need to ask the Dr why your relative has been told not to drive, if they've been given a time limit for not driving, do they need to inform the DVLA etc.
Thank you all for your replies. I will bring the gov website to my relatives attention & they will consult their GP . As far as I am aware, no reason has been given for being told not to drive and whether or not this is permanent or temporary but needs clarifying asap since my relative lives somewhere without any public transport.
Hi there I did wonder myself as mine EF had dropped to below 30% so I thought I would go through the motions of telling the DVLA but I can still drive. I have never been told not to drive. Check the website 😁
Hi I had severe hearts failure (I needed a transplant) but the only time I had to inform the DVLA was when I got an ICD, I couldn't drive for six weeks after getting it and six months after it fired, the rest of the time I could drive. There may be some other issue with your relative if they have been told not to drive maybe low blood pressure causing them to be faint or dizzy, or medication? It might just be temporary. The consultant will be able to explain the reason they have been told not to drive and for how long, until they are given the green light to drive there is no way they should get behind the wheel it could be dangerous. In Scotland we have a service called My Bus run by the local authority it is free and is a door to door service for people to go visiting, to appointments or shopping. I hope you can get some answers for your relative I hated not being able to drive. Char
I wish I lived in Scotland! When I was told by a technician in the cardiology department that I could not drive for 2 years because my ICD had fired and I had lost consciousness for a minute I assumed that was that and was left stranded as no public transport.
In Cumbria we have a service called Rural Wheels which proved singularly unhelpful. No transport at weekends, had to request before noon the previous day, not available for journeys other than to nearest shops, not available at school transport times, not available in the evening. It also charged 45p a mile and is probably more now.They even tried to charge me more when the unpleasant individual in the office decided it was 7 miles. not the 5 it actually was. I had to fight to get them to admit they were wrong.
Oh! That sounds awful the way you were treated especially under the circumstances you would have thought the local authority would have been more helpful. I was asleep when my ICD fired I didn't actually know until the hospital phoned me a few hours later telling me it go in, after I told the DVLA I got a letter for my cardiologist said he filled it in when he thought I was fit to drive which was just on the 6 months but it took another couple of months for the DVLA to send my license back. I was so glad and I live in the centre of the town so my car is not essential to me but it is just the convenience when you don't keep well.I hope you get your license back soon take care char
Everything appears to be covered here:
bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo... with a heart or circulatory condition
Most people with a heart or circulatory condition can drive. But you might need to tell the DVLA about your condition.
Do I need to tell my car insurer about my condition?
Yes, you need to tell your vehicle insurance company about your heart or circulatory condition. You will need to tell them about any changes to your condition and your treatment too. If you don’t, your insurance may not be valid.
Other types of insurance, like travel and life insurance may also be affected by your heart condition. It’s important to let your insurer know about changes to your health.
I think the message may have been misunderstood? Anyone just discharged from hospital can be told to not drive (due to medication they’ve been put on, their current condition, etc) but it usually isn’t permanent, just for a few days. Are you sure your friend was told to NEVER drive again?
Hello 45sue. I have AF - diagnosed last year and was unsure if I needed to tell my Insurance Company so I called my local Surgery to talk to a Doctor. I received the call back and the question she asked me was if I was still 'symptomatic' to which my reply was yes. Her next sentence was 'I will have to tell the DVLA and you have to do the same.' I duly informed them, lost my licence for 1 year [revoked] on their letter to me. I was upset as you can understand because I lived in a rural area. I had a face to visit appointment several months later and it was the Doctor I spoke to one the telephone and she denied ALL knowledge of giving me that advice!!!! I know what she said to me but it was over the telephone. Subsequently I had to give up my job, move back through to Aberdeen as I had no way of getting to work [no bus service where I lived]. I had my follow up Cardiologist appointment in October and he couldn't understand why the Doctor had advised me to inform DVLA. They will send your relative a medical form and I was totally honest on my one. He said if I get back in touch with them he will 'help' me re-apply. That was last October and we are now in April and still no reply from DVLA. On another note if I still had my licence I wouldn't drive whilst having an episode as I also get dizzy along with the 'lurches/flutterings.' Hope you get things sorted and then decide the best option. Kind regards.
Lots of good advice here, but in answer to your question; your GP does not report anything to the DVLA it is down to you to do it. The form requires you to list your GP and consultant's details so that they can be contacted if required. In the case of my heart failure I reported a change of pacemaker in January and so far - nothing ...
Hi 45sue, I had my MI back in September of last year and was told not to drive for four weeks after my stent was fitted and that I didn't have to inform DVLA, but for my own piece of mind I called my insurance company and was told thankyou but I needn't have bothered, after four weeks I was still suffering dizzy spells due to low blood pressure so having consulted my doctor he advised me not to drive until I felt confident and safe to do so, after another couple of weeks thankfully the dizzy spells stopped so he said that I was ok to drive again and just sent me a copy of the DVLA guidelines, at no point was I told I had to inform the DVLA, my heart function is down to 32% which leaves me tired and breathless sometimes but from what I've read unless theirs the remotest chance of you passing out at the wheel the DVLA don't really want to know.
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