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Firearms licensing medical evidence queries to change


Les*1066
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i had a visit from my feo 2 weeks ago,he asked me if i had visited my doctor recently,i told him that i saw him a week previously for sciatica/bulging disc and the feo did not say anything at the time,later that afternoon i had a phone call from my feo quizzing me about my visit to doctors about my bad back and how it affected my shooting etc,he seemed to be looking for something that wasn't there so be careful what you say!

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Yes, but as you've already been through the licensing process since, I think it highly unlikely it will effect you. I'm pinning my hopes on similar logic.

 

Yes you would hope that having several opportunity's to have had a problem with it they've been happy with it that would be the end of it.Problem being some of the less helpful departments/employees might find it to hard to resist.

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Exactly.

A couple of months ago I phoned the surgery asking for my Doc to phone me back regarding a mild ailment. A couple of days later I popped into a local shop and low and behold the assistant asked how my ailment was. Asking how on earth she knew, she calmly informed me that her cousin Susan was the receptionist and as they both knew me Susan thought her cousin would like to know. I'm now frightened stiff to seek advice about my erectile disfunction !!

 

No Information should be passed to anyone not needing to know

if this happens contact your local PALS Patient advice and liaison service, if it is a trust or commissioners who have leaked the information,

or in this case make a formal complaint with the surgery manager the person should be sacked or severely reprimanded

 

This is a very serious offence

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They would not want it being common knowledge among doctors receptionist who had firearms here, maybe one reason it dose not apply here.

That makes sense, one would think with this ongoing war on terror we have been thrown in to, they would be trying to make the whare abouts of guns more difficult to find rather than making it easier.

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Where was the consultation regarding all of this? All they are doing is making licence applications a more expensive and uncomfortable experience so good people don't bother.

 

They'll be happy when the only people who own guns are criminals.

I fear you are right, its the old slowly slowly catch ye monkey, a few here with this rule a few more with that, ongoing virilant and unstopable.

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Hi just been looking at the new application form and was wondering why it dose not ask Have you Ever received treatment for depression or any other kind of mental health condition like on the old form dose this mean you do not have to tel them about past medical history or are they just want to know about medical conditions you have now as a mental health nurse for over 20yrs I have concerns about the wording in this form . I have been shooting for 30yrs and I totally disagree with this new way of encoding of medical records and it could backfire on the powers that be. as if anyone that has a certificate could develop a health condition and may not choose to see their GP in fear of loosing the sport they love think this could end up in a right mess in my opinion what BASC was thinking in supporting this I do not no .Looks like a witch hunt to me .

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The following extract from todays CA newsletter sums it up nicely.

 

<td valign="top" style="padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm" "="">

Contents this issue:
1. Editorial:
F
irearms licences and medical information

2. CA Head of Shooting on the RSPB
3. Microchipping of dogs regulations set to come into force on 6th April
4. Political parties set out their plans for the countryside ahead of May elections
5. 14-15 May, Whitfield Clay Shoot at the Whitfield Estate, Hexham, Northumberland
6. Game Fair offers

 

Firearms licensing changes

A new procedure comes in to force today, 1st April, which will mean the continuous monitoring of health issues for firearms licence holders. Those of us who own guns already agree to allow GPs to discuss issues with the police during the licence application and renewal process. The new system will make it easier for GPs to be able to flag up any relevant medical condition that is cause for concern during the lifetime of a certificate.

By ensuring that the GP is aware of the fact that their patient is a certificate holder it will prompt them to get in touch with the police firearms licensing department if a medical condition arises, which might affect the fitness to possess firearms, part way through a certificate period. This continuous monitoring will not change the current ‘medical issues of concern’, nor the reasons for the police to ask for a medical referral. It will, however, allow closer cooperation between police forces and GPs which will be of benefit to the public and the shooting community.

The Countryside Alliance has been part of the Medical Evidence Working Group since its inception considering improvements to the system which would have minimal impact on the vast majority of certificate holders, but help to prevent those rare occurrences when failure to detect health concerns has led to risk to public safety and the safety of licence holders. We also hope that this process of continuous monitoring will lead to longer certificate life, possibly seeing renewals every 10 years rather than every five, which would reduce the burden on police forces.

We fully support the implementation of the new system, however there will be a bedding in process and so we will be working closely with the police and Home Office on agreed reviews of the project after six months and a year to make sure any issues that may arise can be straightened out. It is in all our interests that this new system is effective as it is in all our interests that those very few licence holders who develop serious medical conditions which might make them a risk to themselves and others are identified as soon as possible.

We are asking all Countryside Alliance members to get in touch at shooting@countryside-alliance.org
if they experience any difficulties or issues with the new system over the coming year. It is vital that the end product we are left with is a workable and successful system for all to use. The Home Office has also produced a factsheet
that will be of additional help if you have any further questions.


Tim Bonner
Chief Executive
Follow on Twitter @CA_TimB

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I received this also. It's a good letter, but I'm still not convinced we have gained more than we've lost, nor that the police will leave it there ( what have they gained, unless it was merely a guarantee of **** covering? ) and certainly not convinced that it is, or will be, 'of benefit to the public and shooting community' nor that it will help those firearms owners who are at risk from being identified as soon as possible. How?

So much depends on those firearms owners who find themselves needing help, seeking that help, in the knowledge that their firearms may be seized as a result.

Even a compulsory for all GP's report wouldn't have stopped Hungerford, Dunblane or Cockermouth simply because none of the murderers responsible had caused their GP's any cause for concern as far as I'm aware. The only one who did was Atherton, and unless I'm mistaken he was ignored....repeatedly.

We've been duped, yet again, with the full collaboration of our shooting organisations, into thinking we have gained something but have in fact accepted yet more ineffectual policy, and are yet again paying the price of police inefficiencies, and yet again, we have no choice but to do so. If the alternatives were in fact much more severe then at best it is damage limitation....for what? Can anyone tell me what I'm missing here? It's a serious question; can anyone tell me what we shooters and/or the general public at large have gained by this?

All those firearms owners who need to declare on renewal or application should be asking their shooting organisations what they have done about seeking a cap on the amounts GP's can charge, because it would appear their respective organisations have left them out to dry, because so far as I'm aware, I'm the only one who has mentioned it.

It would seem the CA isn't all it claims to be either.

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SKULLY totally agree with you , what is the point in paying into an organization that dose not stand up for its members reading Tim Bonners post looks like its a case of the vast majority of us are ok but shooters who have some medical conditions tuff s//t u should have never gon to your GP

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Exactly.

A couple of months ago I phoned the surgery asking for my Doc to phone me back regarding a mild ailment. A couple of days later I popped into a local shop and low and behold the assistant asked how my ailment was. Asking how on earth she knew, she calmly informed me that her cousin Susan was the receptionist and as they both knew me Susan thought her cousin would like to know.

 

I would be having a SEVERE word with the practice manager.

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The worrying thing is that if a member of the shooting community starts to have depression or other problems

That they won't seek medical help for fear of losing there gun licences when that would just had to the problems

When they really need medical help.

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