This might help provide a clue to the current delays/timetable of future delays:
I sent my renewal forms (3 yr Short-term Medical Driving Licence) to the DVLA at the start of March. Received a letter to confirm arrival of my application in the middle of March. My Specialist confirmed he’d sent the requested info. to the DVLA at the end of March.
I rang the DVLA at the end of July asking ?! and was told the delay was due to a lack of Medical teams available to assess the medical details, and he had no idea how long I would still have to wait.
Received a letter from DVLA on Friday (15/10) saying my application has been successful, but because they’ve spent so long processing my application the photo now had to be updated – and if I failed to provide one within 14 days they would “assume” I no longer wanted to renew my licence! (Posted the form and photo this morning.)
So, basically, 7 1/2 months + ? extra time for updating the photo.