Your local firearms Department is clearly one that requires a medical report which verifies your medical history against various conditions as stipulated by that Department. This will apply to all applications whether you declare a medical condition or not.
The medical process will affect any new application for firearms, shotguns, and explosives licences submitted from February 2020, and any renewal application from March 2020.
When asking for a Medical Certificate for a Shotgun Licence Application the usual list of conditions that need to be checked includes but are not exclusive to the following:-
- Acute stress reaction as a result of trauma
- Suicidal thoughts or self-harm
- Depression or Anxiety
- Dementia
- Mania, bipolar or Psychotic illness
- Personality disorder
- Severe Neurological impairment
- Alcohol or Drug Abuse
- Any other mental or physical condition of concern
- Terminal illness
What does ShootCert do?
ShootCert was set up to help applicants when their GP, for whatever reason, refuses to provide them with a medical certificate, often referred to as a Medical Proforma. It does NOT exist to give a certificate with content that differs in any way, substantial or not, from the one your GP would or has provided.
The process
There is a set process for issuing a gun licence. ShootCert, or your own Doctor, will fill out the Medical Proforma form provided by the individual Firearms Dept in a way that is required by law. The Police require that we provide information from the notes that are pertinent to the questions listed above. The comments that we will make will simply be taken from the documented notes that you provide.
ShootCert, your GP, or any other independent Doctor, is required to do this and has a legal obligation to do so. There is no alternative. We do not have any discretion in this.
It is not up to ShootCert to provide any opinion as to your fitness to hold a licence, and we do not do so. That decision lies entirely with the firearms department. We are only required to provide information after scrutiny of the medical notes and this is what we will do.
What next?
The fact that you may have suffered from one of the conditions listed may not necessarily mean that your application is refused.
Your GP should send the report directly to you, not the police. This gives you the opportunity to discuss it with them first. If the GP has included something that they feel the police need to be aware of, please bear in mind that historical medical issues do not automatically mean you will be refused a licence.
What ShootCert suggests you do now is to submit your application in the normal manner along with the Proforma you have obtained.
The police department will then take a view on this and may need further clarification or a specialist report. This will have to be guided by your own Doctor. This is now a matter between the Police and the General Practice. That is the time when you can put forward any comments or opinions which you have. There is I’m afraid no way around that.
We hope that answers the question and clarifies the position.
