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Original poster

Firearms certificate

47 replies

LowMaintenance101 · 10/04/2018 16:35

Posting here for traffic...
My DH needs advice.
He has applied for a renewal of his shotgun licence. The local police authority have written to our GP asking them to confirm that he hasn't been diagnosed with any of a list of medical conditions. Our GP has responded saying that they are not qualified to comment on his mental health.
We have spoken with the Practice Manager to point out that they are not asking for an opinion, just confirmation that he has not been diagnosed with anything already. She has basically come out and said that as a practice they don't want to assist anyone with firearms applications.
DH has offered to go for a psychological assessment but police have said this is not sufficient (basically rubbishing an entire profession). He has also asked if he can apply to get his notes and have the police look over them, but they said no.
Firearms certificate runs out tomorrow.
Guns have already been lodged with a dealer so we don't have possession of them.
Any ideas how we proceed?
Is there such a thing as a private GP who would be happy to look at the notes and complete the form?

OP posts:
PattiStanger · 10/04/2018 16:41

That's a pretty specialised query, might it be better to ask on a gun forum, I don't suppose he's the only one to have had the same problem.

frankchickens · 10/04/2018 16:43

Yes you can consult a private GP - or change GP

SilverHairedCat · 10/04/2018 16:45

Interesting guidance on this issue from the BMA: www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/ethics/ethics-a-to-z/firearms

lemonmerangue · 10/04/2018 16:49

I am confident BASC will be able to help with this.

fairislecable · 10/04/2018 16:50

That is shocking, you are not asking the GP for his/her personal opinion. Is there another GP at the practice who will do it?

Our GP was only too happy to sign for a fee of £68!

I am sure a private GP will do it, you will need to search for private health care in your local area.

Good luck.

eurochick · 10/04/2018 16:53

Can he change GP?

I've just been through the renewal process and it was fine - my GP just charged a fee.

Does he belong to a club? They might be able to help.

fairislecable · 10/04/2018 16:54

Hi I found this online www.pushdoctor.co.uk

Hope that is of help to you.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 10/04/2018 16:56

I dread our renewals. I doubt our GPs know us well enough to comment. Happily we are rural, so they'll get a lot of requests and will probably have a standard response. Wonder if they'll charge us?

If your Practice Manager confirms that in writing send it on to the Firearms Officer. Email her and ask her to confirm it and/or to explain why they do not follow the BMA guidelines. Let them know that the issue is not your DH but that specific practice. They'll need to know for any other patients who are also gun owners.

SilverHairedCat · 10/04/2018 17:12

Since BMA guidelines offer the option of the GP sending a letter which states they do not have the medical expertise to give opinion on behaviour, I doubt a complaint will do anything....

The GP by the looks of it is doing as the BMA advise, and it will be in response to the wording of the letter from the police. If they've asked for opinion rather than fact, this is the outcome.

Speak to the police and ask whether a factual report is what they want or an opinion.

bryheresse · 10/04/2018 17:15

I am a GP and it is our practice policy not to help with firearms licences.

You'll just have to find a different practice or go private.

Cupoteap · 10/04/2018 17:46

I used to deal with exh and not once did they actually request any info from a gp, is anew thing or random?

Original poster
LowMaintenance101 · 10/04/2018 17:50

Thank you for all the replies.
He is a member if the NGO and their solicitor has been in touch with the police both by email and telephone.
Police said that had the GP not replied within the 21 days, they would have just presumed nothing was amiss and approved the application.
We have been online and there are a few practices in more rural areas of our town who offer the service for a fee, but they will only do it for their own patients.
The wording on the police letter to GP specifically states they are not looking for an opinion or comment, just confirmation that nothing is in his records to say he has already been diagnosed.
Will definitely contact the BASC - thank you for that.
We had the Firearms officer round this afternoon to do the interview. He knew nothing about all this. He walked in saying that DH is low risk so no problems their end. DH then ran him through what has happened and he said that he has 2 other cases in exactly the same boat. Said they definitely won't issue an S.7. And to let him know how we get on!
Bryheresse- I was hoping a GP might see this. Is there a reason for refusing to assist? Genuinely interested- is it something that can come back on a GP in future?
Pattistanger- yes definitely very specialist question. He is on with gun forums but I thought I'd run it by the MNers. Usually find there is someone in the know on most issues on here.
Thanks again everyone.

OP posts:
bryheresse · 10/04/2018 18:32

It was a decision made by our senior partner 10 years ago. He was from Dunblane, and while he hadn't lived there for years at the time the shooting happened, he just didn't want to have anything to do with guns.

bryheresse · 10/04/2018 18:33

And we all respected that and adopted it as practice policy.

Walkingdeadfangirl · 10/04/2018 18:43

Good on the GP for standing by their beliefs, wish that happened in America. Just move GPs to one that will do it, if its that important. Do you really need a gun?

Shizzlestix · 10/04/2018 18:48

Hang on, Dunblane, whilst appalling and horrifying, has nothing to do with most licence holders in the U.K., most of whom (the ones I know) are landowners who shoot the bunnies who are absolute pests or hunting/shooting types who run it as a business. I don’t think it’s appropriate for a GP practice to decide on morals for other people.

ChelleDawg2020 · 10/04/2018 18:51

The GP is not obliged to assist someone in obtaining a lethal weapon. Perhaps they see their job as to protect life, rather than facilitate people obtaining a firearm? No doubt there is a 99% chance your partner would be fully responsible and no harm would come, but the GP probably views it that taking one gun away is one step towards having no guns at all.

Those aren't my views - I think any adult taxpayer with no criminal history should be allowed to own guns. (Not an arsenal, but maybe a handgun, a shotgun and a rifle.) But I suspect that your GP is less gun-friendly than me.

HostaFireAndIce · 10/04/2018 18:53

Crikey, OP, I've never heard of this. Where I am, we don't have a choice of GP surgery as we're out of area for all but our own. Surely all that is required of them is to say that your DH has no known mental health issues - it's hardly a moral dilemma. Imagine if an entire GP surgery decided that it was practice policy to deny abortions.

BlueThesaurusRex · 10/04/2018 18:56

@bryheresse that’s really interesting! I never thought that this was an option (GPs being able to refuse getting involved)
Does this apply to only firearms licences or shotguns as well

randomsabreuse · 10/04/2018 19:00

I assume these GPs also refuse certificates for people who actually need the licence for their work (vets, licensed slaughtermen etc) which would be generally unhelpful!

bryheresse · 10/04/2018 19:04

I assume these GPs also refuse certificates for people who actually need the licence for their work (vets, licensed slaughtermen etc) which would be generally unhelpful!

We're in the centre of a big city, where no one needs a gun for work - it would be different if we were rural.

We have only had about 10-15 people ask us to provide evidence for firearms licenses over the past decade, and they were all for sport, not for work.

PolarGuide · 10/04/2018 19:13

We're in the centre of a big city, where no one needs a gun for work

Name changed but not necessarily true. I need one to lead trips in the Arctic. It’s not to kill but to keep people safe. I should hasten to say not to shoot polar bears (or anything else) but to scare them away (unless there was no choice between the life of a bear and a person). There can be reasons for needing a firearms license that are entirely valid.

Walkingdeadfangirl · 10/04/2018 19:20

It would be silly to force Doctors to facilitate the use of a weapon that is designed to kill when their job is to save lives. Even as some have said there are legitimate reasons to have them.

But there are other doctors who will do it, especially as you are allowed to charge a fee so its not a big issue. Op will just have to find a work around.

Musicaltheatremum · 10/04/2018 19:24

As a GP practice We struggle with this and actually came to the conclusion that because no response means they will get the licence we are duty bound to tell of any issues so we tick the box even at the slightest mention of depression or similar.

TheLastSoala · 10/04/2018 19:31

A quick Google tells me that there are over a million shotguns in the UK for over half a million licences shotgun owners.

When was the last time you heard of a shotgun being used in a crime?

Yet apparently it’s not uncommon for a GP to decide they know better than the law on this issue.

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