Medical certificate. How long, and how much £££??

[GHE]

1 minute ago, manthing said:

I wasn't sure, that's why I put the question mark in. So who is their ombudsman/professional standards organisation then? Who would I complain to?

I know they a seperate contractors to the nhs, it was the way this practice handled the situation I was complaining about.

GMC (General Medical Council) but AFAIK they only concern themselves with medical matters such as malpractice. The reality of the situation is that doctors can be awkward if they want to, and the only real option is to change to a different practice, not that that option always exists.

[manthing]

1 hour ago, GHE said:

GMC (General Medical Council) but AFAIK they only concern themselves with medical matters such as malpractice. The reality of the situation is that doctors can be awkward if they want to, and the only real option is to change to a different practice, not that that option always exists.

That's the people.👍

Ours asks me to review them every time I go in. Time we put finger to keypad and started leaving real honest reviews.

[Townie]

On 04/05/2023 at 10:59, GHE said:

GMC (General Medical Council) but AFAIK they only concern themselves with medical matters such as malpractice. The reality of the situation is that doctors can be awkward if they want to, and the only real option is to change to a different practice, not that that option always exists.

Worked at the GMC for 30 years, so I know a bit about this. They're only concerned with clinical competence and won't be interested in this and will probably direct you to the practice manager. As stated elsewhere, all GP surgeries are (and always have been) private businesses supplying services to the NHS. Firearms renewals aren't part of this, so they can do what they want.

[Gas seal]

Hi Tobruk last year l filled in a request form at my doctors l think it took a week or two and cost £15 . My friend has a different doctors , same town, who did his form for him with no charge, we are ( senior citizens) could have made a difference.  Maybe doctors look at it as a patient’s recreation or just a business transaction. Some doctors may have no idea that some of there patients have firearms. Good luck with your application.

[GHE]

On 03/05/2023 at 23:47, GHE said:

Mine cost £50 from my GP and took one day.

But a friend is having real problems, his GP wants £120 so he instructed Medcert, who have been excellent so far. As part of the process, he gave his signed consent to his GP to release the data to Medcert and then went for a two-month holiday.

His GP refused to comply with his instruction on the basis that he had not completed their own consent form, which he didn't discover until he returned from his holiday. He then took it to his GP surgery, which told him that they will supply the data exactly 30 days later. As a result, his certificate will expire before he can submit his renewal application.

As luck would have it, this isn't a real problem as he has just one shotgun, he only shoots at one venue (where I also shoot) and I have plenty of spare cabinet space, so all that he has to do is to lend me his gun and transfer it to me  until his renewal comes through, leaving him able to shoot under my supervision.

An update of sorts - my friend didn't hear from his doctor within the month so went to see them today, and after queuing for a long time to see the receptionist was eventually told that it had been lost in the system . . .

The receptionist was helpful and said that she would find out what happened and would ring him later today. She didn't.

[DUNKS]

Derbyshire. My FEO contacted me three months before renewal date. Doctor took about ten days and cost £72 all done and dusted  in about two weeks and three months in advance.

[Therealchucknorris]

My GP practice refused to do it, so I’ve engaged ShootCert.  I had to drop the three letters into reception (SARs and instructions on what to do with the records) and 5 days later I’ve had a call to collect them. 
 

I’ve explained that the instructions were to scan them and securely email the PDF to ShootCert but they’ve refused. I’ll have to go in and see them to instruct them to post the records to ShootCert instead. I don’t want to touch them and risk anyone accusing me of interfering with the records. 
 

My surgery have made this a bit of a ballache and done themselves out of £70, but still incurred the cost of researching and producing my notes.  The business manager should probably take another look at this revenue stream as it could be handled so much more efficiently and provide and income, rather than a resource drain. 
 

Only bonus is that my renewal isn’t until November, so I’m ahead of the game. 

Edited May 18, 2023 by Therealchucknorris

[Torbruk]

3 hours ago, Therealchucknorris said:

My GP practice refused to do it, so I’ve engaged ShootCert.  I had to drop the three letters into reception (SARs and instructions on what to do with the records) and 5 days later I’ve had a call to collect them. 
 

I’ve explained that the instructions were to scan them and securely email the PDF to ShootCert but they’ve refused. I’ll have to go in and see them to instruct them to post the records to ShootCert instead. I don’t want to touch them and risk anyone accusing me of interfering with the records. 
 

My surgery have made this a bit of a ballache and done themselves out of £70, but still incurred the cost of researching and producing my notes.  The business manager should probably take another look at this revenue stream as it could be handled so much more efficiently and provide and income, rather than a resource drain. 
 

Only bonus is that my renewal isn’t until November, so I’m ahead of the game. 

It seems crazy that for what is literally only a few minutes work (10 absolute tops) they will turn you away when it’s easy money. I can only assume it’s either anti-shooting sentiments or possibly an unwillingness to be part of the infrastructure vouching for an applicant? Rather odd when your reference does not (and must not) receive any form of payment for their endorsement of the license being renewed or granted. 
 

My doctor doesn’t know the first thing about shooting, as we established in the rather protracted 10 minute ‘private appointment’ to go through my records and tick the little boxes, sign the form and stamp it etc. He did seem rather more chirpy and upbeat than when diagnosing a chest infection, I suspect the £12.50 per minute I was paying him had something to do with this. 🤓

West Mercia Police were superb as usual and my new certificate arrived a few days prior to the old one expiring. Next time I will get my research done in good time and hopefully shave a few quid off the medical part of this wallet-drainer. In context, I suppose even £174 all in for five years isn’t terribly expensive compared to motorsports licences and whatever a pilots license costs to maintain. 
 

I’m enjoying reading all the posts on this thread and marvel at the diversity of experiences we all seem to have, both with our doctors practices, third party handlers, and local firearms licensing teams. 

[Therealchucknorris]

Agree 100% here.  That could have been an easy £60 profit for them, not to mention the others in my vicinity.  Interestingly they stopped this support last month it seems and also won’t support the DVLC renewals, so not sure it’s totally anti-firearms related. 
 

You’d have thought commerciality would be a focus, but I presume my practice is running at a stinking profit and can afford to turn away such easy work. 

[GHE]

21 minutes ago, Therealchucknorris said:

Agree 100% here.  That could have been an easy £60 profit for them, not to mention the others in my vicinity.  Interestingly they stopped this support last month it seems and also won’t support the DVLC renewals, so not sure it’s totally anti-firearms related. 
 

You’d have thought commerciality would be a focus, but I presume my practice is running at a stinking profit and can afford to turn away such easy work. 

As I understand it, some medical practices refuse to play ball because they are against shooting, others because they don't do any work that isn't NHS funded, others for different reasons of their own, and there are some that do play ball but charge extortionate fees.

Let's just be thankful that there are firms such as Medcert that have stepped into the breach.

[miki]

On 03/03/2023 at 15:36, old'un said:

As a doctors proforma been required for that long? I thought it only came into force Nov 2021?

It was started by Police Scotland in 2016.

Pushed through by Chief Inspector Fraser (Freedom) Lamb, now retired and chief firearms advisor for SACS.

There used to be a picture of him on the SACS website but since they moved from the Borders to the A M Letting building in Dalkieth that seems to have dissapeared (bit like their 'News' page).
If your surgery is charging more than £60 go to Medcert or if you are a BASC member they also have a service (£50 I think).

There is NO NEED to visit the Dr, it is NOT A REQUIREMENT.
The form is a simple yes/no 'tick form' that passes no responsibility onto the Dr or your sugery.

Unfortunate;ly this is a complete rip-off which has forced additional cost onto the shooting community with no gain to either us or the public.

[discobob]

To bring this back to life - got here from a google search so there may be newer threads but hey ho

just took the form to the doctors. I did ask last time I was there (about 4 years ago) and was told  £35

well today, £125, cash in advance and 45 working days (9 weeks!!!) to get it back. 
Stuff that!!

As this is a legal requirement there needs to be SLA’s for this. Not doctor’s surgery making up the rules as they want. It is absolutely disgusting. 

So, what is the preferred route nowadays??

 

[GHE]

Medcert of similar, basically they are medical doctors who will contact your own GP and (with your written authority) will require your doctor to provide them with the info.

They then analyse the info and provide you with the paperwork you need. Usually very quick, efficient and around £60, and the best thing about it is that your own doctor gets what they deserve - nothing.

[JohnfromUK]

8 minutes ago, discobob said:

So, what is the preferred route nowadays??

 

I used the Dr surgery - but mine was 'only' £50.  They were very quick though (2 days).

As far as I know the BASC offer a service to members for (I think) a bit over £50(?) where their medical man contacts your practice.  It was to cover some Dr's who refused to do the forms mainly I think.  Contact BASC for up to date details if you are a member.  I presume the other shooting organisations do something similar.

[discobob]

1 hour ago, JohnfromUK said:

I used the Dr surgery - but mine was 'only' £50.  They were very quick though (2 days).

As far as I know the BASC offer a service to members for (I think) a bit over £50(?) where their medical man contacts your practice.  It was to cover some Dr's who refused to do the forms mainly I think.  Contact BASC for up to date details if you are a member.  I presume the other shooting organisations do something similar.

Not in BASC - it’s funny in a way. But one of the Doctors daughter and son-in-law work there - and he does a little bit of shooting himself. I asked can’t he do it - response - “he doesn’t do private”

you don’t want to here about the puliver to make an appointment- got to send photos etc - before you even know if they will deem to see you. 
I wonder what this lack of face to face will cause to be missed?? But that is a discussion for another section of the forum 

[JohnfromUK]

12 minutes ago, discobob said:

Not in BASC - it’s funny in a way. But one of the Doctors daughter and son-in-law work there - and he does a little bit of shooting himself. I asked can’t he do it - response - “he doesn’t do private”

you don’t want to here about the puliver to make an appointment- got to send photos etc - before you even know if they will deem to see you. 
I wonder what this lack of face to face will cause to be missed?? But that is a discussion for another section of the forum 

Having seen @GHE post above I think Medcert may be the one BASC uses.

[discobob]

Oh well - looks like I may be fubared by these new regulations. Apparently in England, for a Renewal, they only want 10 years of records. A new grant is a full set of records.

However, as per usual, in STASI Wales, they want the full set of records. I have served both in the Army and RAF. So these are also going to have to be retrieved as well 😞

God knows how long this is going to take.

[mossy835]

2 years ago took my doctor 2 days to do and £25.

[Bobba]

Happy chappy here. Yet again Avon & Somerset came up trumps for my SGC renewal.

Renewal reminder arrived more than 3 mths in advance with advice not to complete until within 3mths. Doctors agreed to complete medical form (£60) and keep me informed of progress. 2wks and it was ready. All paperwork went in on time. Inspection date agreed. Great visit - I think as aged 80 they wanted to check I was still lucid 😵‍💫😵‍💫 one week before old SGC expired the new one dropped on the mat. All as per their stated aims on their website. Thank you A&S.