Shotgun certificate refusal due to medication side effects

[Gordon R]

Rewulf is correct. If you escalate now, you will be told it isn't long enough to see if the medication is working or what the side effects are. 

Your call, but I would wait a year and get a medical opinion hopefully saying that the treatment has worked, with no adverse side effects. If you push it, it could well end up with a refusal, which you would find difficult to reverse at a future date.

You have my sympathy, as it must seem frustrating. 

[agcd]

I thought the medication might make some things easier but if I do get unwanted side effects, my ADHD symptoms aren't severe enough to warrant taking them.

thanks for the advice and I guess I will wait it out and see what happens 

Edited March 21 by agcd
Clarity

[Lloyd90]

Play ball with the firearms Licencing dept. 
 

They just want to monitor you on-going to see if you get any major effects they need to worry about. 
 

It’s an inconvenience but seems reasonable request. 

[Rewulf]

16 minutes ago, agcd said:

If I did stop taking the medication then what happens? I'm a bit confused about that. 

There are other side effects not relating to anxiety/depression that I could get that I do not want.

So if I stop taking because of those (with the support of my specialist) are they then just going to refuse on the grounds that I was given a prescription but no longer take it, even though they are saying refusal is because of the medication only. 

I thought the medication might make some things easier but if I do get unwanted side effects, my ADHD symptoms aren't severe enough to warrant taking them.

As Gordon suggested, the mere fact that you have ADHD could be the reason, despite what you have been told that its the medication.
There are certain guidelines that mean that having conditions like ADHD , low spectrum autism ect SHOULD NOT automatically bar you from pursuing your sporting interests, the police however, will ALWAYS err on the side of caution, and they are using the medication issue as an excuse.
The simple fact that you have not even started the meds, so have no side effects, have GP support , and they are using this reason, should tell you this.

Ive had this recently, but the other way round, a club member was going to apply for his first FAC grant.
He has (what I consider) very low level Aspergers , I would never have guessed until he told me, he approached his GP for his medical note, and was told that the GP would not support his application because of his condition.
I explained that this decision is made by licencing, not by the doctor, the doctor merely reported relevant conditions.
I spoke to firearms, who also said that Aspergers was not an automatic bar to having an FAC (discrimination)  and would be judged on its merits.

In practice , your local FLM will do what it likes, despite guidelines, but if you escalate , and they issue a refusal , that is worse than you voluntarily withdrawing your application, and trying again later.
Very few have 'won' against firearms licencing.

[millrace]

Interesting and yet,, serving police officers are now getting adult diagnosis of adhd, still have their firearms ( psni) and now get a desk job and the " hr" brigade have ticked another box in their diversity employment!!!!!

[bruno22rf]

With the greatest sympathy and respect - would YOU give YOU a licence to carry a shotgun - you may be the safest guy in the room but without personally knowing you, when at your best and at your worst , would you be willing to gamble your career and public safety in this case?

[Robden]

17 hours ago, bottletopbill said:

One guy went to a private Doctor to get his med cert completed .

The Doctor asked him if he could  not shoot would he be depressed he answered yes to depression.

He as now lost his cert.   Please all be so careful about the D  word

License now 

What a stupid question.  Surely that would apply to most shooters if their SGCs were revoked.

[Genghis]

2 hours ago, Robden said:

What a stupid question.  Surely that would apply to most shooters if their SGCs were revoked.

I would hope that the guy who told the story was exaggerating or missing another piece of key info.

[HantsRob]

21 hours ago, Poor Shot said:

This is a symptom of the whole Jake Davison/ Southampton incident.

Plymouth*. 

(sorry, a little county-proud)

20 hours ago, clangerman said:

go one better fire of letters to both chief constable and feo manager demanding an explanation how the feo is making such a decision when the medically qualified have voiced no concern over your medication or fitness and be prepared for a fight! 

If both fail, then the PCC could be a good option if the fight is a fight being taken.

[Poor Shot]

4 hours ago, Robden said:

What a stupid question.  Surely that would apply to most shooters if their SGCs were revoked.

True. In most cases it would separate people from their friendship groups and perhaps the only real interaction they have with people. A revocation would mean complete isolation for a lot of the older people I shoot with who have lost family, friends, wifes, husbands etc to age. 

I certainly spend more time with my 'shooting' mates than I do with people who I consider to be my best friends. I shoot several times a week but I may only see my 'mates' every few weeks due to kids, work etc. 

1 hour ago, HantsRob said:

Plymouth*. 

(sorry, a little county-proud)

Thanks. Not the first time I've had the two mixed up. 

[bottletopbill]

Just had my renewal  for FAC/SHOTGUN one of the question's   was why i have had so many medicals on my driving license.

Said because i was PSV driver . Oh OK

[Robden]

20 hours ago, Poor Shot said:

True. In most cases it would separate people from their friendship groups and perhaps the only real interaction they have with people. A revocation would mean complete isolation for a lot of the older people I shoot with who have lost family, friends, wifes, husbands etc to age. 

I certainly spend more time with my 'shooting' mates than I do with people who I consider to be my best friends. I shoot several times a week but I may only see my 'mates' every few weeks due to kids, work etc. 

Thanks. Not the first time I've had the two mixed up. 

Exactly right. A revocation could certainly mess with someone's (dare I say it?) "mental health."  When I go shooting, I may only shoot for an hour or so, and then spend several hours having a craic with the "lads." 

[Sweet11-87]

thats hard lines mate,  especially if the conditions not caused issues in the past and youre just trying to improve professionally. id suggest joining BASC however id be surprised if they entertained it as it would be seen as you only joining to benefit after the fact so to speak.

id also do what is recommended above and chase it higher up. i think if you leave it and try again later youll just run into a brick wall as youve been DECLINED previously.

ultimately none of us know you or how mild/serious your ADHD is i mean its a pretty massive spectrum so the person holding all the actual facts is yourself and also every firearms department is different Ive come to realise.  me id chase it as shooting is a massive chunk of my social life,hobby and consumer of my free time. id certainly be worse off without it i feel.

[Gordon R]

Unless the OP has some new evidence, I suspect he is doomed to failure. The Firearms team are hardly likely to say - we were wrong, we'll take a gamble in your case.

Having only just started taking the medication, the OP cannot say what the medium/ long term effects of the drugs. I would be inclined to take the medication and then get a medical opinion in 9 months time.

At the end of the day it's the OP's decision, but he will have to live with the consequences of a potential refusal.

[ehb102]

I feel for you. I wish they would be more transparent about what is and isn't acceptable across the country. 

Biggest risk of my ADHD chum with a shotgun is that he will put it down somewhere and forget about it. Once it is "found" and used for an illegal crime you've lost your licence anyway. Might not be the same type of ADHD as you of course. 

[team tractor]

I had depression due to a split relationship involving children. I had an interview off the police because of an employee stiring things on purpose. I kept my certs . 
I then was arrested under false accusations and had to surrender my certs for 9 months in total until they understood what was happening. I have everything back now . 
Give it time 👍. I’ve had secondary interviews since the Plymouth shootings as they’re just scared to commit and I understand that as it’s them to blame if something happens. 
basc helped me out and a full evaluation to prove I was sain . 
 

Do as they say , start the meds . Then reapply. 
Tbh my feo Simon is a great bloke and very understanding. 

[armsid]

If you are honest and straight with your FEO  and he is straight with you then then follow his advice take any meds prescribed and prove that you are sincere in in getting your certs take his advice

[agcd]

I stopped taking the medication as I didn't feel like it was having any effect. I've also been discharged by the doctor who issued the prescription so all good there.

Planning on reapplying in a couple of months and then I guess I'll know whether it really was the medication that they took issue with...

Edited July 3 by agcd

[holloway]

I would recommend you join Basc ,they are used to dealing with this sort of issue and if nothing else will give you a realistic and honest appraisal of your chances .Good luck with what ever you decide to do.