DVLA confirms major update for drivers who need to notify it about medical conditions

DVLA confirms major update for drivers who need to notify it about medical conditions It has updated drivers The DVLA has announced an update affecting drivers across the country. It said it had introduced changes for those required to notify it about medical conditions. On Thursday, the agency said that "dealing with a health condition can already be a worrying time. Telling DVLA about it, if you need to, should be as straightforward as possible. That's why we've improved our online service, making it easier for more drivers to manage their medical licensing journey online". The DVLA confirmed that the updated service now encompasses more than 1,600 health conditions. Drivers are able to use it to notify the DVLA about several conditions simultaneously. Users can also save their application and return to it at a later stage, monitor its progress through their driver and vehicles account, and renew their licence photograph. The agency revealed that more than 120,000 customers have already made use of the service. Changes made if you need to tell DVLA about medical conditions In a blog post addressing the changes, Natalie Morgan from the DVLA wrote: "If you hold a driving licence, there are times when you'll need to tell DVLA about your health, for example if you develop a condition or need to renew a short-term medical licence. We know that dealing with a health condition can already be a worrying time. "So, we've been working to make telling us about a condition, and renewing your licence when medical information is needed, as simple and straightforward as possible. Our improved online service now allows many more drivers to manage their medical licensing journey online, from telling us about a condition through to renewing their licence. More than 120,000 customers have already used the service, and we've continued to develop it since launch to support more drivers." When to report medical conditions to the DVLA The blog went on to clarify that only a limited number of health conditions could be reported online prior to the changes. It now encompasses more than 1,600 conditions. The blog added: "Not every health condition needs to be reported to DVLA, of course. The online service will let you know whether you need to tell us and, if you do, it will guide you through the information we need. "It also means that if you have more than one health condition, you can tell us about them through our online service. And if you're renewing a short-term medical licence, you can notify us about any new conditions at the same time." Drivers aged over 70 and learners affected by DVLA changes Natalie explained: "If you're renewing your driving licence and you're aged 70 or over, you can now tell us about a health condition when submitting your renewal application online. We've done the same for customers applying for their first provisional driving licence, creating a more joined-up experience without the need to move between separate services. "The online service is also now available to customers whose driving licence was previously surrendered, revoked or expired, helping more people manage their medical licensing online. And the whole service is now available in Welsh, providing the same end-to-end service as the English version." Process made quicker The DVLA also revealed that it had introduced automation to accelerate the initial application review. The blog stated: "When you tell us about a health condition online, it comes directly into our casework systems in a structured format. This helps our caseworkers review the information they need and decide what needs to happen next. "To make a medical licensing decision, we sometimes need further information from customers or healthcare professionals, so not every case can be completed immediately. But making the initial application more straightforward and giving our caseworkers better information from the outset, helps us deal with cases more efficiently." How to check if you need to tell the DVLA about a medical condition The DVLA emphasised that having a health condition does not automatically mean having to give up driving. Not every condition requires reporting, either. The simplest way to check is via GOV.UK, it said. It also noted that the online service is currently only accessible to Group 1 drivers, namely those holding a car or motorcycle licence.