Bowburn woman stripped of driving licence after GP error

Paula Bartle has been left unable to drive after her licence was revoked after her doctor's surgery filled in a medical form incorrectly.

The 53-year-old had been training to become a HGV driver and needed to complete a medical check as part of her licence application.

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Paula, as a diabetic, is required by the DVLA do frequent checks on her blood-sugar levels before driving, but doctors wrongly said she hadn’t been managing her condition - meaning her licence was taken from her.

Now she has been left stuck at her County Durham home, unable to drive her car or continue her driving lessons to become a trucker.

Paula, who lives in Bowburn, told The Northern Echo: “I’m training to be a HGV driver and I needed to get a medical form from the doctors to get my provisional licence.

“I gave the form to my doctors and asked them to show me before they sent it to the DVLA because they’ve got stuff wrong with me before.

Paula Bartle has been left unable to drive after the blunder by her doctor's surgery. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“Then when I got home the other Friday (March 31) after being out all day I came home to a letter from the DVLA saying that my HGV licence had been stopped and my driving licence had been revoked.”

A letter sent to Paula by the DVLA said medical information they received claimed she did not currently test her blood sugar levels twice daily, or at times relevant to driving, and that she "must not drive.”

“I have diabetes and you have to do blood sugar tests before driving but the doctors said that I wasn’t doing any testing when I am,” Paula, who previously worked in finance, added.

Paula Bartle, 53, from Bowburn (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“They know I am because I go to hospital for check-ups and they look at my levels.

“I went to the surgery sobbing my heart out. They don’t realise the impact this has on me.

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“I have no family to help so I’m lost without the car.

“I’ve had to go to the supermarket with a neighbour and would normally take the dogs to the beach over the Easter weekend, but can’t because I can’t drive anywhere. The only place I could drive is up and down my own drive.”

After contacting her doctor's surgery, Bowburn Medical Group, they admitted a box had been ticked incorrectly on Paula’s medical form.

A letter sent by the surgery to the DVLA and seen by The Northern Echo said: “It would appear that some boxes were ticked incorrectly on her [Paula’s] form by one of my GP colleagues”.

Paula started her HGV course in January and only has a certain time to complete it.

She added: “I had been really enjoying the HGV course up to this point. I’ve learned so much already and don’t want to give it up.”

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The Northern Echo contacted Bowburn Medical Group for a comment.

A DVLA spokesperson said: “Safety is always at the heart of what we do. That’s why we assess medical conditions as part of driving licence applications so that everyone can continue to drive safely.

“Where we are made aware that incorrect information was provided, or where additional evidence shows the driver meets the medical standards to hold a licence, we will consider the reissue of a licence.”