PRESS RELEASE:
CHANGE IN BMA GUIDANCE FOR FIREARMS CERTIFICATION
GP Survival is angered by the new guidance for GPs regarding Firearms Certificates which has recently been published by the BMA. By holding GPs responsible for any harm which may befall anyone due to suicide or homicide on the part of a licence holder we find this guidance totally unacceptable.
Notwithstanding any meagre fee which may be due to the GP for complying with this request, we emphasise that the level of responsibility this guidance places on GPs is not only outside their contract, but also far exceeds the level of personal liability that any individual person in any line of work should reasonably be expected to shoulder. Furthermore, we find no mention whatsoever of medical professionals, let alone any obligation upon them, anywhere in the primary legislation of the Firearms Act 1968.
We are deeply disappointed that our designated trade union has chosen to withdraw its previous guidance. Not only does this leave individual GPs who adhered to previous guidance now potentially professionally vulnerable, but also completely undermines the perceived legitimacy of ANY guidance which is now issued by the BMA.
GP Survival’s position is that responsibility for issuing Shotgun or Firearm Certificates, and for any ramifications of issuing, should rest wholly with the police. The role of GPs, if any, should be limited to a simple statement of fact, as to a patient’s past medical history at that moment in time, rather than an acceptance of responsibility for a real time update of that history into the future ad infinitum. Moreover, as such a statement of fact falls outside the GMS contract, provision of such information should incur a fee appropriate for the clinical time needed to complete the form professionally. The responsibility as to whether a licence should be issued, and whether it should continue to be held, lies entirely with the police.
We consider this guidance absolutely unacceptable, in every possible way.
GP Survival Committee
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