XH558 wrote:
Not 100% sure but there's a subtle difference between (some) council HC/PH and PCV/LGV medicals.
Council HC/PH - the good doctor decides your fitness to drive
PCV/LGV -
DVLA decides your fitness to drive, based on the medical info from the good doctor (D4 form)
I'm reading between the lines of
this. But I can't see a difference between access granted/printed copy for medical notes - the good doctor sees the same thing in either way. Something to do with cost/convenience? Just
their costs and convenience, obviously.
On a related theme, I nearly missed the deadline of my second PCV renewal (from age 45, then every 5 years). DVLA sets the 5 year clock by the renewal date, not by age. I'd done the first one early - noticed it was about to lapse just in time.
Most LAs now require PH/HC drivers have a Group 2/D4 medical
GB driver licensing
Licensing and licence groups
The GB medical standards for driver licensing refer to Group 1 and Group 2 licence holders:
Group 1 includes cars and motorcycles
Group 2 includes large lorries (category C) and buses (category D)
In most cases, the medical standards for Group 2 drivers are substantially higher than for Group 1 drivers. This is because of the size and weight of the vehicle and the length of time an occupational driver typically spends at the wheel.
Drivers who were awarded a Group 1 category B (motor car) licence before 1 January 1997 have additional entitlement to categories C1 (medium-sized lorries, 3.5t to 7.5t) and D1 (minibuses, 9 to 16 seats, not for hire or reward). Drivers with this entitlement retain it only until their licence expires or it is revoked for medical reasons. On subsequent renewal or reapplication, the higher medical standards applicable to Group 2 will apply.
Under certain circumstances, volunteer drivers may drive a minibus of up to 16 seats without category D1 entitlement. DVLA outlines the rules for such circumstances on the GOV.UK website (see Driving a minibus).