Agenda item

The applicant was present.

The Licensing Officer introduced the report and drew attention to the following:

-          The applicant applied for a renewal to his licence on 7 June and the licence expired on 22 June.

-          Due to the applicant’s medical history, he was required to take an exercise test on renewal of his licence.

-          The applicant had also had a suspected angina attack in November 2020 which had not been declared to the Licensing Authority.

-          In order to be satisfied that the applicant met the DVLA Group 2 criteria, the following information was required:

(1)   Results of a new exercise test with evaluation by a registered medical professional to confirm the applicant met the Group 2 entitlement.

(2)   Confirmation that the applicant was in the Low Risk or Intermediate Risk group with regard to Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) risk in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

-          The applicant had not been able to book a test until 9 September and officers were recommending that the application be refused until the requirements could be met.

The applicant gave the following evidence:

-          The incident in November 2020 was not an angina attack but symptoms of his pre-existing condition and this was confirmed by the results of the angiogram.  Therefore, he had not reported the incident to the Licensing Authority as there had not been a change in his condition.

-          He was unaware that he had to undertake an exercise test on renewing his licence and if so, he would have organised the test earlier as there was often a waiting list of up to one year.

-          He had not been able to work since his Licence expired on 22 June and asked if he could have a temporary Licence pending the results of his test. 

After questioning from the committee, the following information was confirmed:

-          Even if the incident on November 2020 was caused by the applicant’s pre-existing medical condition, the application would still have been brought to the committee due to the need for an exercise test and confirmation that the applicant was at low or intermediate risk of SCD in HCM.

-          The DVLA would not accept the results of the angiogram in place of an exercise test being carried out.

-          The cardiologist at The Spire could not carry out the exercise test as they did not have access to the applicant’s medical records, and he was advised to book through his GP.

Members noted that there was a long waiting test for exercise tests and asked if this could be communicated to the trade to enable them to book in advance of the expiration date of their licence.

RESOLVED:

(1)   that a decision on the application be deferred pending the receipt of information to confirm:
(i) Results of a new exercise test with evaluation by a registered medical professional to confirm the applicant met the Group 2 entitlement.

(ii) Confirmation that the applicant was in the Low Risk or Intermediate Risk group with regard to Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) risk in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

(2)   On receipt of the required information, the decision to determine the licence be delegated to officers. 

(3)   No action be taken in relation to the lack of declaration relating to the medical incident in November 2020 as the applicant had confirmed this was a result of a pre-existing condition.