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Cheshire SGC/FAC grant/renwal - GP report request letter


SxS
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My other half recently took a trip out with me to break some clays and is now considering a SGC application.

 

Checking on the fees, I was surprised to come across an apparent change to Cheshire's application process from when I applied. It seems like they're now asking applicants (and those seeking renewals) to complete a supplementary letter for GPs for the police to then send on to Doctors (see link:https://www.cheshire.police.uk/media/80964/shotgun-and-firearms-grant-gp-letter.pdf ) that includes the following:

 

"I have requested the applicant to obtain a report from you which should contain factual medical information about his declared condition, or any other condition, you may be aware of that is relevant, and has not been declared" (underline mine)

 

"Once completed the report should be passed to the applicant for submission to the Firearms Licensing Unit. The question of payment should be dealt with between you and your patient"

 

Putting aside the fact that passing the report to the applicant to then send on to the FLU seems like a really bad idea, curious as to whether this is this an attempt by Cheshire to try and make the medical report a prerequisite for grant/renewal? This sort of letter is not mentioned in any other guidance I've seen and also seems to be at odds with the more normal approach of the Police (not the applicant, who historically just consents to the release of data) requesting a report from the GP.

 

Being pedantic, the guidance on their website states that "To apply for the grant or renewal of a shotgun certificate, you should complete the following forms:" (underline mine!) not that you must complete both the 201 plus this new letter.

 

Has anyone been through the process recently in Cheshire and encountered this letter and/or discussed it with their FEO? If so, would be interested in hearing how it went and what the FEO's position was regarding the letter/medical records in general.

Edited by SxS
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Its all to deter applicants from renewing and applying hoping its to much bother

Get guns off the street is what they want

Load of dung

It states on the form already do suffer from depression etc if no then there is no need for plod to contact your doctor

No dam wonder there is a backlog I'm sick of all this

Wish I was in the USA

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Just going through a renewal with Cheshire Firearms and the letter I got said,

 

If you declare a relevant medical condition then you will need to obtain a medical report, please refer to the notes pages of the application form. A letter is enclosed for you to complete with your personal details and you should hand this letter to your GP surgery, when you have received the report please enclose it with your application.

 

PLEASE NOTE YOU ONLY REQUIRE A MEDICAL REPORT IF YOU ARE DECLARING A RELEVANT MEDICAL CONDITION.

 

And it is all in caps like that.

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Thanks Trippyhippy - interesting that the message in the renewal letter is slightly closer to the normal position, although still odd that they want the applicant to get the report and then forward it rather than follow the normal process (and requesting it themselves). Wonder what they expect applicant to do if they turn out to have a non-cooperative or expensive GP?

 

Rest assured, OH will be joining BASC or CA before applying and (unless advised otherwise by them) will be submitting a "by the book" application.

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Just looked again at the form "bored at work waiting to be tipped"

https://www.cheshire.police.uk/media/86011/shotgun-form-form-201.pdf

 

And in the notes bit Number 7 it says,

 

If you have disclosed a relevant medical condition the police may ask you to obtain a medical report from your GP/specialist. You are expected to meet the cost if a fee is charged for this. If further information is required the police may request and pay for a further report.

 

So it only says may.

 

I would guess the best bet would be phone them and ask first.

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Didn't Durham try this a while back and it got thrown out by BASC?

 

https://basc.org.uk/blog/press-releases/latest-news/basc-says-dont-pay-medical-fee/

Guidance is here just refuse to pay GP simple

 

Who determines if the medical condition is relevant? Could you not just request a copy of your records (set nhs fee?) and issue that to plod in its fullness?

Edited by HDAV
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I'm just going through a sgc now with Cheshire. I filled the forms out except that one because I see no need for it. I don't even have a doctor anymore as he moved abroad :lol: not been since. My application for my fac last year didn't have this so why should I now?? My doctors are also rather useless to say the least. Feo is ringing me in the morning about something else so il ask him then. I certainly won't be paying any more money towards it for something that costs as much as it does to never get hold of anyone in the office and to wait a minimum of 4 months. Won't happen :)

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[quote name="Hendrix's rifle" post="3191910" timestamp="1483572364"I don't even have a doctor anymore,,,,,,,,

Interesting how they reply,

When I did mine I was told 'No Doc = no-one to contact if ... therefore we cannot .....'

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The relevant part is the money side as by completing the form you now accept any and all the doctors fee's that's the game they are playing.

 

What a mess this process is now, very soon I would guess the home office will step in and it will become the applicants responsibility to pay the doctors fee and that will be whatever the doctor wants it to be.

 

We are being shafted the idea was we got a ten year certificate when they got access to medical records which clearly we did not.

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Access to the records is one thing reports are different

 

 

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2635.aspx?CategoryID=68&SubCategoryID=160

 

Online access to your GP records is free of charge.

 

 

So how can a GP charge and why can't the police just access them online in the same way your drivering details are accessed now online but you requesting a code giving them authority to access them?

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Access to the records is one thing reports are different

 

 

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2635.aspx?CategoryID=68&SubCategoryID=160

 

Online access to your GP records is free of charge.

 

 

So how can a GP charge and why can't the police just access them online in the same way your drivering details are accessed now online but you requesting a code giving them authority to access them?

Exactly? And we're paying for them to get lazy :lol:

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Hi SxS,

 

 

I did my renewal in November last year with Cheshire, I did not fill in the separate letter that came with the forms I just signed the front page asking for permission to contact your GP, my renewal came right on time as promised with no calls from the fld.

 

 

Good luck S

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Hi SxS,

 

 

I did my renewal in November last year with Cheshire, I did not fill in the separate letter that came with the forms I just signed the front page asking for permission to contact your GP, my renewal came right on time as promised with no calls from the fld.

 

 

Good luck S

Yup. I applied for a grant with Cheshire late last year and just filled in the usual standard form. If they need anything else like a Drs report they'll contact you to let you know. That GPs request is just on the website as a download for use if you're told you need to get a report.

 

You'll be told by Cheshire that you need a GPs letter if you have declared any relevent medical conditions on your application, in which case you can print off the request letter from the website and give this to the GP. And the letter does say that you'll pay the Dr for this - as per the agreement early last year that the applicant would bear the cost of any additional medical reports that are due to declared conditions.

 

So nothing out of the ordinary here. I had a good experience with Cheshire - very helpful FEO and quicker than their quoted 16weeks turnaround.

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