Monday, August 11, 2008
Turning down work.
The years roll by and Stephen is getting older. I will be 50 years old in September and I need to renew my PCV licence in order to continue in my employment as a coach driver for a nationwide company. When a PCV driver gets to 45 years of age he has to have a medical examination every 5 years for him to renew his vocational driving licence. The same rules and medical examination also apply to LGV - large goods vehicle - lorry drivers. You give the standard DVLA D4 form to your doctor who completes the boxes and you can renew your licence.
On Tuesday 22nd July I went to my doctors, Woodlands Medical Centre on Greenfarm Road, Ely, Cardiff. I had my medical examination there when I renewed my PCV licence when I was 45 years old, so I simply asked the receptionist for an appointment with a doctor. She told me that the secretary would arrange an appointment for me and could I write down my name, address and telephone number, plus my date of birth and she would contact me with a date and time. I also wrote down 4 rest days available to me in August, so that I would be free all day - and the fact that my licence would expire on the 1st September.
I heard nothing back from my doctors so on Wednesday 30th July I went back to reception and asked again. This receptionist said "Before you go on, because of annual leave we are not doing any private work like medicals in August. Come back in September." I was shocked and replied that my licence expires on the 1st September and without a medical examination I would be out of a job. I think she just mumbled "Well" or maybe "So" - she was clearly not bothered. The website for the surgery clearly states...
Private Services
The Doctors provide additional private services to patients on request. Charges vary and depend on the time taken to complete the work.
Common requests include: -
* Private certificates.
* Employment medical examinations/reports.
* Vocational driving examinations (PCV/LGV or Taxi).
* Passport/Driving licence countersignature.
* Insurance examinations/reports.
* Sickness/Accident claim reports.
If the service that you require is not listed above, please enquire at reception as we will, in all probability, be able to help you.
...Like heck they will. What can I do, without a renewal of my PCV licence I am out of a job. So off I go to the next nearest doctors to my home which is Westway Surgery on Wilson Road, Ely, Cardiff. I told the receptionist my situation and was told that yes they do PCV medicals but because I am not registered at their surgery they will not do one for me.
I then went to the next nearest doctors to the Westway Surgery and repeated my situation to their receptionist. Caerau Lane Surgery on Caerau Lane, Ely, Cardiff gave exactly the same reply - yes they do PCV medicals but not unless you are one of their registered patients.
I then went further down towards Ely Bridge and called into the Ely Bridge Surgery on Mill Road, Ely, Cardiff and repeated my situation to the receptionist. She told me to sit down and wait. After a couple of minutes a guy came up to me and said he was Doctor Charles - "Can I help you?" he asked. I explained my situation to him which he instantly understood. He was surprised that the Woodlands Medical Centre had refused this routine medical examination but that he would happily do one for me and when can I come down to him. I arranged with him to have my PCV medical examination this morning at 11.30 - all went fine and I have posted my licence renewal papers this afternoon to DVLA in Swansea. Doctor Charles said that if he is still there in 5 years time he would be very happy to do the same again. He is a good man and I admire him.
I am now very relieved because with my PCV licence renewal I can keep my job. What annoys me and I simply cannot understand is why the Woodlands Medical Centre is turning down work? We are not talking beer money here, we are talking good money. We are talking £109 - which is good work! Also what is wrong with both the Westway and Caerau Lane Surgeries for turning down good, profitable work if you are not a registered patient with them? Words almost fail me but I know who will be getting my business when I am coming up to my 55th birthday. I will not bother asking for a PCV medical at the Woodlands Medical Centre as I will simply march down Mill Road and give my business to those sensible people at the Ely Bridge Surgery.
The years roll by and Stephen is getting older. I will be 50 years old in September and I need to renew my PCV licence in order to continue in my employment as a coach driver for a nationwide company. When a PCV driver gets to 45 years of age he has to have a medical examination every 5 years for him to renew his vocational driving licence. The same rules and medical examination also apply to LGV - large goods vehicle - lorry drivers. You give the standard DVLA D4 form to your doctor who completes the boxes and you can renew your licence.
On Tuesday 22nd July I went to my doctors, Woodlands Medical Centre on Greenfarm Road, Ely, Cardiff. I had my medical examination there when I renewed my PCV licence when I was 45 years old, so I simply asked the receptionist for an appointment with a doctor. She told me that the secretary would arrange an appointment for me and could I write down my name, address and telephone number, plus my date of birth and she would contact me with a date and time. I also wrote down 4 rest days available to me in August, so that I would be free all day - and the fact that my licence would expire on the 1st September.
I heard nothing back from my doctors so on Wednesday 30th July I went back to reception and asked again. This receptionist said "Before you go on, because of annual leave we are not doing any private work like medicals in August. Come back in September." I was shocked and replied that my licence expires on the 1st September and without a medical examination I would be out of a job. I think she just mumbled "Well" or maybe "So" - she was clearly not bothered. The website for the surgery clearly states...
Private Services
The Doctors provide additional private services to patients on request. Charges vary and depend on the time taken to complete the work.
Common requests include: -
* Private certificates.
* Employment medical examinations/reports.
* Vocational driving examinations (PCV/LGV or Taxi).
* Passport/Driving licence countersignature.
* Insurance examinations/reports.
* Sickness/Accident claim reports.
If the service that you require is not listed above, please enquire at reception as we will, in all probability, be able to help you.
...Like heck they will. What can I do, without a renewal of my PCV licence I am out of a job. So off I go to the next nearest doctors to my home which is Westway Surgery on Wilson Road, Ely, Cardiff. I told the receptionist my situation and was told that yes they do PCV medicals but because I am not registered at their surgery they will not do one for me.
I then went to the next nearest doctors to the Westway Surgery and repeated my situation to their receptionist. Caerau Lane Surgery on Caerau Lane, Ely, Cardiff gave exactly the same reply - yes they do PCV medicals but not unless you are one of their registered patients.
I then went further down towards Ely Bridge and called into the Ely Bridge Surgery on Mill Road, Ely, Cardiff and repeated my situation to the receptionist. She told me to sit down and wait. After a couple of minutes a guy came up to me and said he was Doctor Charles - "Can I help you?" he asked. I explained my situation to him which he instantly understood. He was surprised that the Woodlands Medical Centre had refused this routine medical examination but that he would happily do one for me and when can I come down to him. I arranged with him to have my PCV medical examination this morning at 11.30 - all went fine and I have posted my licence renewal papers this afternoon to DVLA in Swansea. Doctor Charles said that if he is still there in 5 years time he would be very happy to do the same again. He is a good man and I admire him.
I am now very relieved because with my PCV licence renewal I can keep my job. What annoys me and I simply cannot understand is why the Woodlands Medical Centre is turning down work? We are not talking beer money here, we are talking good money. We are talking £109 - which is good work! Also what is wrong with both the Westway and Caerau Lane Surgeries for turning down good, profitable work if you are not a registered patient with them? Words almost fail me but I know who will be getting my business when I am coming up to my 55th birthday. I will not bother asking for a PCV medical at the Woodlands Medical Centre as I will simply march down Mill Road and give my business to those sensible people at the Ely Bridge Surgery.
Comments:
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I assume your employer picked up the cost of your medical examination? You shouldn't be expected to cough up £109 yourself. It's bad enough paying DVLA £17.50 every 10 years to update your photocard licence.
# posted by 
: 12 August 2008 at 22:09
: 12 August 2008 at 22:09
No chance at all - it has always been the same, even before I started at this depot 11 years ago. The expense of the driving licence and medicals is down to the employee. If you want the job then you have to pay for your licence. When we were given digital driver tachograph cards the company paid, maybe £19.50 per driver for a card that lasts only 5 years. We were told that when anybody left the company, they would want the unused time value back from your wages. Whether the leaving drivers had this deducted from their wages I do not know.
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