Gun licence holders told not to avoid mental health support

Medical practitioners are advising shotgun and firearms licence holders to seek professional support for any mental health issues.

There are concerns within the industry that some licence holders may not be seeking help when required from doctors due to fears it could impact on future renewal of licences.

However, practitioners have said this is rarely the case and that seeking the correct medical advice should always be the number-one priority for the safety of licence holders and the public.

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Dr Chris Garrett, a medical doctor and founder of firearms licence certification specialist ShootCert, told Farmers Weekly that the most important thing is always to seek help.

Chris says: “If you are depressed or have any kind of mental health issues, don’t hide it, go to your GP.

“There’s so much out there that people do not understand and they have got the wrong end of the stick.”

Depression is not necessarily considered an automatic barrier against holding a shotgun or firearms certificate, and licence holders should always be transparent with the police over any mental health concerns.

Professional standards from the General Medical Council (GMC) says: “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.”

Concerns around mental health in agriculture is a huge issue, with research from the Farm Safety Foundation earlier this year finding that 95% of farmers under 40 surveyed felt that mental health was the biggest hidden problem facing farmers today.

Meanwhile, results from the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution’s (Rabi) Big Farming Survey in 2021, which received more than 15,000 responses, suggested that 36% of farming respondents described themselves as “probably” or “possibly” depressed.

Alex Phillimore, head of communications and development at the Farming Community Network (FCN), says: “Conditions such as anxiety, stress and depression can worsen if help isn’t sought.

“People must be encouraged to seek professional help if experiencing poor mental health.

“To talk in confidence with a sympathetic person who understands farming life, FCN can be contacted on 03000 111 999 or help@fcn.org.uk, 365 days of the year.”

Renewing licences

It is now mandatory that gun licence holders in the UK provide a medical certificate to assist the police with the application and renewal process.

Statutory guidance by the Home Office states that responsibility for the decision about whether a person is suitable to be granted a licence lies with the police, not the doctor.

Nevertheless, increasingly GP practices will not engage in this process and will not offer the service at all, which leaves a large number of licence holders unable to complete applications and renewals.

Chris founded ShootCert to provide the shooting industry with an alternative option and it has now grown into the specialist provider, processing thousands of applications in the UK each year.

GMC-registered doctors at ShootCert process an individual’s medical information and provide certificates for the police to consider as part of an application.

Chris says: “Our recommendation is that first of all you go to your GP and ask them to do it. We will step in if either the GP won’t do it or if they try to charge an extortionate fee.”