Chiari, surgery and DVLA (UK only)

General
1

[https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/866655/assessing-fitness-to-drive-a-guide-for-medical-professionals.pdf]

Please see the above link/pdf, page 47, if you have confusion regarding driving and Chiari/surgery in the UK. I had decompression surgery in January and was completely confused as to whether I had to medically surrender my driving license or not. Long story short, on the advice of the DVLA, I surrendered it. Mistake. If I’d found this document in January it would have saved me heaps of trouble. I still haven’t got my license back (not helped by lockdown unfortunatey). :frowning:

You may have to consider other associated conditions (ie hydrocephalus, shunts) which are also in this booklet.

Hope this helps someone!

Ali

2

What I probably didn’t make clear was that the person I spoke to at the DVLA couldn’t find any guidance about Chiari or foramen magnum decompression. That’s why they strongly recommended that I surrender my license. It was unfortunate because there was existing guidance available, which neither the DVLA or I found at the time.