That's cheap. One up here paid £450 and there was no third party docs doing it then like there is now .
There was also a report saying one doc wanted £350 PER cert so if you had FAC and SGC then it was £700. £1050 if you had to have the medical for AWC also
Not all peoples medical files will be on computer so it can be a nightmare if they have to go through paper based medical record's right back to birth.
From the Guidance.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...rsion-from-1-november-2021#suitability-checks .
I don't see anything about how far it needs to go back .
Information about medical suitability
2.25 It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain information about their medical suitability from their General Practitioner (GP) or another suitably qualified doctor registered with the General Medical Council (GMC)
[footnote 7] and the medical proforma included as part of the firearms application must be used for this purpose. The completed medical proforma must be forwarded to the police firearms licensing department dealing with their application.
When the medical information is being provided to the police by a doctor from a private company, the doctor must receive the applicant’s medical information direct from the GP practice and not via the applicant. *1
2.26 Chief officers must consider information provided by a suitably qualified GMC-registered doctor for every person who applies for either the grant or renewal of a firearm or shotgun certificate, or to be registered as a firearms dealer, to assess any issues regarding medical suitability. However, this may not be required for a registered firearms dealer who is already a firearm certificate holder because any relevant medical information will have already been considered as part of the firearms licensing application. If an applicant does not have a GP in the UK, they will not be able to fulfil the criteria to be issued with a firearm or shotgun certificate
[footnote 8].
2.27 In July 2019 the Home Office, the police and the British Medical Association agreed a Memorandum of Understanding which sets out the roles and responsibilities of police and doctors regarding the medical assessment of firearms applicants and the ongoing monitoring of those in possession of a firearms certificate
[footnote 9]. In Scotland similar arrangements are set out in a joint letter from the Chief Medical Officer and Police Scotland, dated 25 January 2022
[footnote 10]. These agreements are clear that the responsibility for deciding whether or not to grant or renew a firearm or shotgun certificate is entirely a matter for the Chief Officer of Police. In carrying out this function it is appropriate for the police to consider wider evidence relating to suitability, including medical evidence. Information provided by the applicant’s GP or other suitably qualified doctor will help to inform the police decision, but it does not alter that the decision whether or not to grant is made solely by the police.
Information sharing between the GP and the police
2.28 The application form requires the applicant to declare relevant medical conditions. The police may approach the applicant’s GP to obtain relevant medical information both during the application process and at any time during the validity of the certificate if there are concerns about the applicant’s continued fitness to possess firearms safely.
2.29 Doctors owe a duty of confidentiality to their patients, but they also have a wider duty to protect and promote the health of patients and the public
[footnote 11]. Where a firearms applicant or certificate holder may pose a risk to themselves and/or others, GPs may, depending on the individual circumstances, share relevant information with the police on the following grounds:
- with the individual’s consent;
- on public interest grounds; or
- in some circumstances, if it is legally required.
Detailed information on the potential grounds for disclosing information by GPs can be found in the GMC’s guidance on confidentiality at
www.gmc-uk.org. The GMC is the regulator for doctors.
Medical information required by the police
2.30 When a person applies for a firearm or shotgun certificate or to be registered as a firearms dealer, the applicant will ask their GP, or a suitably qualified GMC-registered doctor, to provide information to the police which will confirm whether or not the applicant is or has been diagnosed or treated for any relevant medical condition which could affect their ability to possess a firearm safely. A medical proforma to be used for this purpose is part of the firearms application form and should be detached by the applicant and passed by them to the doctor for completion. This process is also to be used for the renewal of certificates.
Role of doctors in firearms licensing
2.31 Doctors provide medical information to assist the police in their firearms licensing function and to protect public safety. They should not be asked to give general access to an applicant’s medical record as this may result in doctors being in breach of the Data Protection Act 2018. Nor should they be asked to either endorse or oppose firearm or shotgun applications. Responsibility for the decision about whether a person is suitable to be granted a certificate lies with the police, not the doctor.
2.32 The medical proforma invites the doctor either to send the medical information direct to the relevant police firearms licensing department by secured NHS email or by post, or to return the completed medical proforma to the applicant to enable him or her to send it to the police along with their application form. An application for a certificate received by the police must not be granted without such medical information. If medical information is not provided the police should inform the applicant that the application cannot be progressed in the absence of the required information from the doctor and will be refused. The police may contact the applicant, or the doctor directly, to request missing medical information before making such a refusal, at the chief officer’s discretion.
Relevant medical conditions
2.33 Medical conditions that could be relevant include:
(i) Acute Stress Reaction or an acute reaction to the stress caused by a trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder;
(ii) suicidal thoughts or self-harm or harm to others;
(iii) depression or anxiety;
(iv) dementia;
(v) mania, bipolar disorder or a psychotic illness;
(vi) a personality disorder;
(vii) a neurological condition: for example, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s or Huntington’s diseases, or epilepsy;
(viii) alcohol or drug abuse; and
(ix) any other mental or physical condition, or combination of conditions, which may affect the safe possession of firearms or shotguns.
The list above is not intended to be exhaustive. Doctors should consider any other mental or physical condition which may affect the individual’s safe possession of a firearm or shotgun, now or in the future. See also sections 3.34 and 3.35 when a patient has been subject to the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1983 and/or the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.
Payment of a fee
2.34 Whether or not the doctor requests that a fee be paid in advance of responding to the request to supply information to the police and, if so, the level of that fee, are matters between the applicant and the doctor. It is not an issue that the police should become involved in.
Requesting medical information from a GMC-registered doctor other than the applicant’s own GP
2.35 The supply of relevant medical information from a doctor who has access to the applicant’s medical record is necessary to determine the level of risk to public safety arising from the grant of a certificate. The certificate should not, therefore, be granted or renewed if this information is not provided.
2.36 An applicant may, if they wish, approach a suitably qualified GMC-registered doctor to supply the relevant medical information to the police firearms licensing department.
2.37 Where the doctor indicates that there are relevant medical issues and the police require further medical information in order to consider the application, the police may, at the chief officer’s discretion, contact the doctor directly to discuss the application or seek further clarification. If necessary, the police should ask the applicant to contact the doctor to obtain further information, such as a medical report, about these issues. Any fee required by the doctor at this stage is a matter between the doctor and the applicant. If, having received further information, the police still have concerns about any of the medical information given or wish to obtain a more detailed report, they may request this from the doctor, the applicant’s GP or, if appropriate, from a relevant specialist. The police should meet the costs associated with the provision of this additional report.
2.38 If the applicant themself has declared a relevant medical condition on the application form the police may ask the applicant to obtain and pay for, if required, a medical report to assist with their consideration of medical suitability. If a further medical report is subsequently required by the police to assist with consideration of the application, the police will pay for this.
*1
When the medical information is being provided to the police by a doctor from a private company, the doctor must receive the applicant’s medical information direct from the GP practice and not via the applicant. *1
I'm led to believe that is to stamp people changing what was reported by the third party GP . I never saw mine form the GP as she sent it direct to the Firearms Office via Email.
Some say the third party docs should be stopped from doing it .
Mine was £50.
www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk
