The following is the timeline applicable to my recent renewal, a total of almost 19 weeks from submitting the application until receipt of the licence. This timeline was based on my application being prioritised part way through the process. This was achieved by regular pressure on DVA. I have no idea what the timeline would have been without prioritisation but when the application was prioritised things did seem to happen.
The basic problem appears to be that the medical agency, appointed by DVA to handle the medical review, do not have the staff to deal with the workload. My application sat with them for over 10 weeks, with no action, prior to it being prioritised. Apparently the medical agency currently have a backlog of over 2500 medical referrals to deal with.
Anyone needing a renewal should consider applying 4 or 5 months before the expiry of their current licence as opposed to waiting until a reminder comes from DVA at about 8 weeks before expiry.
28th January 2019 – Attended for Medical Examination with GP and completion of DLM1.
29th January 2019 – Application posted to DVA; DL1R Renewal Application and DLM1 Medical Examination.
30th January 2019 – Application received by DVA; confirmed by Royal Mail.
12th February 2019 – Application recorded as received by DVA on 29th January 2019 (it appears that they do not deal with post on receipt but store it until they are ready to review).
15th February 2019 – Medical Examination DLM1 referred to DVA medical agency, OHS.
19th February 2019 – Letter received from DVA advising of referral to OHS.
15th April 2019 – Email sent to DVA making case for application to be prioritised.
26th April 2019 – Further request to DVA for application to be prioritised as email of 15th April 2019 had been ignored.
30th April 2019 - DVA requested medical agency OHS to prioritise application. (This suggests that the medical referral to OHS sat on someone desk in OHS for over 10 weeks without being looked at). (15th February 2019 to 30th April 2019)
2nd May 2019 – Request for medical assessment received by Kingsbridge Private Hospital (KPH) from OHS.
7th May 2019 – Appointment made for medical assessment at KPH.
21st May 2019 – Acknowledgement by DVA (of email request of 15th April 2019 for application to be prioritised) stating that an urgent response had been requested from OHS.
23rd May 2019 – Medical assessment/treadmill test at KPH.
28th May 2019 – Medical report prepared at KPH and forwarded to KPH consultant for review and signature.
4th June 2019 – Medical report issued by KPH to OHS.
5th June 2019 – Licence renewal approved by DVA.
7th June 2019 – Letter received from DVA confirming approval of renewal for three years.
8th June 2019 – Licence received including C1/D1.
The basic problem appears to be that the medical agency, appointed by DVA to handle the medical review, do not have the staff to deal with the workload. My application sat with them for over 10 weeks, with no action, prior to it being prioritised. Apparently the medical agency currently have a backlog of over 2500 medical referrals to deal with.
Anyone needing a renewal should consider applying 4 or 5 months before the expiry of their current licence as opposed to waiting until a reminder comes from DVA at about 8 weeks before expiry.
28th January 2019 – Attended for Medical Examination with GP and completion of DLM1.
29th January 2019 – Application posted to DVA; DL1R Renewal Application and DLM1 Medical Examination.
30th January 2019 – Application received by DVA; confirmed by Royal Mail.
12th February 2019 – Application recorded as received by DVA on 29th January 2019 (it appears that they do not deal with post on receipt but store it until they are ready to review).
15th February 2019 – Medical Examination DLM1 referred to DVA medical agency, OHS.
19th February 2019 – Letter received from DVA advising of referral to OHS.
15th April 2019 – Email sent to DVA making case for application to be prioritised.
26th April 2019 – Further request to DVA for application to be prioritised as email of 15th April 2019 had been ignored.
30th April 2019 - DVA requested medical agency OHS to prioritise application. (This suggests that the medical referral to OHS sat on someone desk in OHS for over 10 weeks without being looked at). (15th February 2019 to 30th April 2019)
2nd May 2019 – Request for medical assessment received by Kingsbridge Private Hospital (KPH) from OHS.
7th May 2019 – Appointment made for medical assessment at KPH.
21st May 2019 – Acknowledgement by DVA (of email request of 15th April 2019 for application to be prioritised) stating that an urgent response had been requested from OHS.
23rd May 2019 – Medical assessment/treadmill test at KPH.
28th May 2019 – Medical report prepared at KPH and forwarded to KPH consultant for review and signature.
4th June 2019 – Medical report issued by KPH to OHS.
5th June 2019 – Licence renewal approved by DVA.
7th June 2019 – Letter received from DVA confirming approval of renewal for three years.
8th June 2019 – Licence received including C1/D1.