Just noticed this on the Doctors on Wheels Website if anyone has a Medical booked in with them
doctorsonwheels.co.uk/
Doctors On Wheels Ltd has made the decision to suspend its services until further notice as a consequence of an investigation by Swansea Trading Standards, notified to us on 20 June 2019, which has prompted an internal review of our operation.
We will automatically refund any medical booked with ourselves, these will be processed as quickly as possible.
If you have not received the refund by 12th July please email us.
Those customers who have had their medicals rejected by the DVLA are requested to email us your name, the date you made payment with us and the name of the card holder whose card was used to pay for the appointment. We will then refund the fee back to your account.
There are plenty of other providers who would be able to help you with your medical if you search “hgv medical online”.
We are hoping that we can resolve this situation out as soon as possible.
We are sincerely sorry for any inconvenience caused.
An investigation by Swansea Trading Standards? I wonder which Swansea-based entity might be behind that…?
I’m sure it’ll all come out in the wash - but good to see that DoW appear to be putting the punters’ interests first.
Roymondo:
An investigation by Swansea Trading Standards? I wonder which Swansea-based entity might be behind that…?
I was sorry to read this… as folk will construe what they like.
As I had a medical last week I would like to make the following comments.
The driver’s medical is a bit of a joke as it stands. As the D4 form stands the action the doctor HAS TO take is; blood pressure test, eye test and record weight, research one’s medical history by questioning and if necessary examination/referral and circle either ‘fit’ or ‘unfit’. DoW do just that. There is not a requirement for a urine test for diabetes and drugs.
Certain companies will attach notes and may state ‘the medical must be filled in by a doctor who has full knowledge of your medical history (i.e. can refer to your medical notes at their desk) and is registered/licensed in the UK’. I had one once where it stipulated a saliva test, when I asked why the doctor said it was to test for drugs - that’s incorrect and he didn’t have access to my medical notes so what was the point?
For my provisional cat C application 5 year ago I used DoW and he covered all that was necessary. If I went to my doctor in Suffolk he wanted to charge £120+ and couldn’t do the eye test. My recent medical for a job had to be done at my current GPs, the notes stated such and that was £70.
It would seem that bureaucracy has been applied to the practice which is not likely to be the fault of the doctor. In future I think the form will be amended and it will state that one’s own GP practice has to be used. One should be able to have a copy of one’s medical notes and hand that over to any doctor. In my case I haven’t much to hand over for the last 20 years other than a broken ankle May 2016 and five doctor medicals for driving jobs.
For those between jobs I would recommend you get a letter from a prospective employer even if it’s an agency and have a medical on the DWP (then you are covered for four months for free).
jessejazza:
Roymondo:
An investigation by Swansea Trading Standards? I wonder which Swansea-based entity might be behind that…?
I was sorry to read this… as folk will construe what they like.
As I had a medical last week I would like to make the following comments.
The driver’s medical is a bit of a joke as it stands. As the D4 form stands the action the doctor HAS TO take is; blood pressure test, eye test and record weight, research one’s medical history by questioning and if necessary examination/referral and circle either ‘fit’ or ‘unfit’. DoW do just that. There is not a requirement for a urine test for diabetes and drugs.
Certain companies will attach notes and may state ‘the medical must be filled in by a doctor who has full knowledge of your medical history (i.e. can refer to your medical notes at their desk) and is registered/licensed in the UK’. I had one once where it stipulated a saliva test, when I asked why the doctor said it was to test for drugs - that’s incorrect and he didn’t have access to my medical notes so what was the point?
For my provisional cat C application 5 year ago I used DoW and he covered all that was necessary. If I went to my doctor in Suffolk he wanted to charge £120+ and couldn’t do the eye test. My recent medical for a job had to be done at my current GPs, the notes stated such and that was £70.
It would seem that bureaucracy has been applied to the practice which is not likely to be the fault of the doctor. In future I think the form will be amended and it will state that one’s own GP practice has to be used. One should be able to have a copy of one’s medical notes and hand that over to any doctor. In my case I haven’t much to hand over for the last 20 years other than a broken ankle May 2016 and five doctor medicals for driving jobs.
For those between jobs I would recommend you get a letter from a prospective employer even if it’s an agency and have a medical on the DWP (then you are covered for four months for free).
I think you may be missing the major point that appears to have been DoW’s undoing - they were reported to be having the actual examination/questions done by nurses (or other healthcare workers), who were then using the doctor’s (personal) rubber stamp to authenticate the forms. Several nurses working under the “oversight” of one doctor - who in some cases was not even present at the time - in order to do the job on the cheap.
True I didn’t know that - I was only commenting on my own experience which was done properly.
Unless the medical is done by your own doctor it is really a bit of a joke… a nurse might as well do it if medical notes are not referred to.