Am I missing something

[fluke2]

Called in to a local clay club on my way home the other day to be met by some of the most solemn crew going, Ive known these guys for years and somehow its got into thier heads that thier shooting days are over and they will be stopped under new legislation now in force on doctors reports and medicals, in fact three I spoke to are at this time selling up and packing in and another guy whos shot for years is packing his licence in and paying to store his guns at a club so he can still shoot,Am I missing something when did this come about doctors reports on meds and medicals who pays for this, I just happened to mention one of the painkillers I take three times a day and after lots of teeth sucking and oohs and aahs from the guys it seems I certainly wont be shooting at my next application according to them,and seemingly a well known mag has produced a list of ailments and meds that will fail you from ever shooting again, anyone seen this. I certainly havent they couldnt believe I hadnt read the (new rules) and advise I need to act now,they were that serious about it comments like whens the last time you went to a dealers or bought a magazine to read come to mind and have you not read the new rules er cant find them anywhere so I must be missing something or do I need to dust the fishing gear off.

[Piebob]

Called in to a local clay club on my way home the other day to be met by some of the most solemn crew going, Ive known these guys for years and somehow its got into thier heads that thier shooting days are over and they will be stopped under new legislation now in force on doctors reports and medicals, in fact three I spoke to are at this time selling up and packing in and another guy whos shot for years is packing his licence in and paying to store his guns at a club so he can still shoot,Am I missing something when did this come about doctors reports on meds and medicals who pays for this, I just happened to mention one of the painkillers I take three times a day and after lots of teeth sucking and oohs and aahs from the guys it seems I certainly wont be shooting at my next application according to them,and seemingly a well known mag has produced a list of ailments and meds that will fail you from ever shooting again, anyone seen this. I certainly havent they couldnt believe I hadnt read the (new rules) and advise I need to act now,they were that serious about it comments like whens the last time you went to a dealers or bought a magazine to read come to mind and have you not read the new rules er cant find them anywhere so I must be missing something or do I need to dust the fishing gear off.

They sound like a right cheery bunch! They are either winding you up, paranoid, or ill-informed. Possibly all three. But I am amazed that you are unaware of why they are saying this - hence their comments about magazines, etc.

[fluke2]

No Im not unaware there may be changes just unaware they allready happened if they did.

[Piebob]

No Im not unaware there may be changes just unaware they allready happened if they did.

 

Sorry, just re-read my reply and I didn't mean it to sound as condescending as it does on re-read.

 

If there are new rules, then the entire forum has missed them as well . But I think your clubmates are getting paranoid about the Home Affairs Select Committee report. There have been a few posts in the forum about it.

 

Can you remember what magazine they mentioned?

[Coolhead]

I'm with Piebob, they're talking cobblers.

 

The facts are;

 

1) There are no changes in the pipeline nor anything new since The Firearms (Amendment) Regulations 2010 relating to age limits.

 

2) ACPO is actually talking to the BMA regarding medical notes being tagged for firearms. This would need government approval. However GP's have gone on record saying they do not want to monitor shooters' fitness due to conflict of interest and workload.

 

Everything else is just plain wrong.

 

There will be a response to the firearms licensing review committee. There will be consultation and there will be tougher laws. Just not quite yet.

[Bloke]

As far as the medical side goes, don't panic!

 

Obviously if you are suicidal/depressed/psychotic then they are going to be very reluctant to consider firearms, but otherwise they just need to be satisfied you are safe. I have cancer, lung disease, thyroid problems and Meniere's/balance problems and although they obviously wanted to be sure that I wasn't either going to drop dead with a live gun in my hand or blow my brains out, they were very reasonable. After a long chat with my local FLO (Top fella ! )and obviously full medical report from my doctor(s), my SGC was granted for the full 5 years, the only condition being a FLO home visit at 12 months and 2 1/2 years, to be sure the situation has not seriously changed, very reasonable considering the conditions I suffer. I had to be able to convince them (apart from the usual safety/security questions) that I would be able to unload the gun and put it to one side in the event of a dizziness/vertigo attack, helped by the fact that I had several lessons under my belt, during one of which I had a 'moment', but broke the gun, ejected the shells and put the gun down before sitting on the floor/nearby bench to allow the dizziness to subside.Things may be different re FAC, but I do not see why not.

 

So don't start thinking that the FLO's are going to refuse your licence for every illness, it must be for quite specific conditions/circumstances.

[MDK]

As far as the medical side goes, don't panic!

 

Obviously if you are suicidal/depressed/psychotic then they are going to be very reluctant to consider firearms, but otherwise they just need to be satisfied you are safe. I have cancer, lung disease, thyroid problems and Meniere's/balance problems and although they obviously wanted to be sure that I wasn't either going to drop dead with a live gun in my hand or blow my brains out, they were very reasonable. After a long chat with my local FLO (Top fella ! )and obviously full medical report from my doctor(s), my SGC was granted for the full 5 years, the only condition being a FLO home visit at 12 months and 2 1/2 years, to be sure the situation has not seriously changed, very reasonable considering the conditions I suffer. I had to be able to convince them (apart from the usual safety/security questions) that I would be able to unload the gun and put it to one side in the event of a dizziness/vertigo attack, helped by the fact that I had several lessons under my belt, during one of which I had a 'moment', but broke the gun, ejected the shells and put the gun down before sitting on the floor/nearby bench to allow the dizziness to subside.Things may be different re FAC, but I do not see why not.

 

So don't start thinking that the FLO's are going to refuse your licence for every illness, it must be for quite specific conditions/circumstances.

 

 

I agree with you on that, ive just recieved my SGC 2wks ago, as i was tagged with terminal cancer in 2007 i was scared to apply as my condition / meds / and shrink evaluation would flatten my application.? so untrue wish i did it earlier, when FO came to visit went through the form, TBH he was only interested that i was fit sane and competant. but then agin i used my shrink as my referee for safe guard, every one takes meds at one point or another but depending that you not seriously depressed and on meds, i dont think there is anything to worry about, but do agree to some meds giving side affects if it was me dont shoot till course of meds r finished.

 

Regards.

.M.

forgot to mention that im over the moon with my licience had one shoot so far planning more

just gotta get out more and practice my style.

Edited February 26, 2011 by MDK

[Sprackles]

Re the tagging aspect, when I had some blood taken a few months ago, the nurse pulled up my records to check what she was taking it for and right there at the top it stated, "Has Shotgun Certificate"

Is my GP jumping the gun because when I asked why that was there the nurse said it was the Law.

The police did contact my GP for medical records some months prior to this but not for any illness I had, rather a letter they had been sent by some busybody from my daughters school.

 

I know we do have a couple of GP's on here, any ideas..?

[Coolhead]

Re the tagging aspect, when I had some blood taken a few months ago, the nurse pulled up my records to check what she was taking it for and right there at the top it stated, "Has Shotgun Certificate"

Is my GP jumping the gun because when I asked why that was there the nurse said it was the Law.

The police did contact my GP for medical records some months prior to this but not for any illness I had, rather a letter they had been sent by some busybody from my daughters school.

 

I know we do have a couple of GP's on here, any ideas..?

 

I assume you mean paper records as re-writing the NHS I.T. system would not go unnoticed.

 

It is NOT the law. Moreover I can see some major issues with the Data Protection Act.

 

The permission for medical history one gives the police is for grant and renewal, NOT for general fishing expeditions!

 

Clearly your GP has not dropped you in it although it sounds like you need to ask them exactly what is was they did. See here.

 

Medical ethics already permits doctors to act by breaking confidentiality of the patient to protect the patient from themselves or others from them.

 

I am not a lawyer or doctor but all of this is publicly verifiable.

[Sprackles]

Coolhead, my GP did not comment on suitability but did provide my medical history and details of medication.

I know this because my FEO visited to question some of my medication, an anti depressant prescribed to help me sleep after an op.

If they had asked my GP, he could have told them what it was for.

 

It was not paper records either, the practice nurse pulled my records up on the screen and I clearly saw at the top of my records the note as descrobed...."Has Shotgun Certificate"...exact wording.

 

The records by the way were on my GPs system so may not be linked to central records.

[masterzone2]

The Depression Issue is also one that will need looking at AS

there are various forms of depression.

There is the main one which everyone looks at which is the whole

"wanting to kill/self harm ones self" type.

 

But there are others example is being tired ALL the time

less your diabetic or have a lack of iron then the next said

cause is a form of depression.

 

You are no more harm to anyone with a firearm IMO

its just the "killing ones self or harming others"

depression that will need looking in to.

 

This group at the club seams to have assumed defeat

or they are just plain fed up with it all and are saying **** this

 

Even when you dead you don't admit defeat.

[DIVERD]

masterzone is quite correct. I have a pal who had a rough time and ended up depressed. Hetook meds and medical advice for this and has made a full recovery, if that is the correct term. he has just been granted a SGC and FAC.

 

I hurt my back badly and have been on a cocktail of meds for some time. I feel that medically i have been badly treated. One of the meds i have taken is an anti depressant and is also used for chronic back pain. I was asked at a Dr appointment if my pain was making me depressed, and we discussed that I was sore, and this was effecting my ability to do stuff, but that i was happily still working, stalking and shooting. I just have to moderate how I do it. I am not depressed just have a sore back.

 

I called my feo and he just noted it and was totally happy, indeed he was interested that i was still stalking and that the exercise was probably good for me. Basically they are taking a sensible approach and a bad back is not a FAC ban and that the meds used can be varied and have other uses.

 

I would always just ask the FEO, and never experts on a forum or in a club. You just have to read some of the nonsense on this and other forums to know that, in many cases the written word is not always true, in every case. I have also found that the worse the grammar and spelling, the more i should distrust it!

[wildgoose1uk]

The Depression Issue is also one that will need looking at AS

there are various forms of depression.

There is the main one which everyone looks at which is the whole

"wanting to kill/self harm ones self" type.

 

But there are others example is being tired ALL the time

less your diabetic or have a lack of iron then the next said

cause is a form of depression.

 

You are no more harm to anyone with a firearm IMO

its just the "killing ones self or harming others"

depression that will need looking in to.

 

This group at the club seams to have assumed defeat

or they are just plain fed up with it all and are saying **** this

 

Even when you dead you don't admit defeat.

 

The depression issue is one that does need to be clarified. There are many different levels of this illness and most of them will not preclude you from holding firearms. Both medics and the Police are already aware of this (at least in Kent). When I applied for my FAC I was suffering from depression. This obviously means more checks need to be done as a matter of course. My GP had no problem in signing me off as fit to hold firearms and when I got the visit from plod he said that if I had wanted to do something silly I would have done it with my shotgun!!