BASC says don’t pay medical fee
- Thread starter David63
- Start date
BASC is not powerless. They could seek a judicial review of the process, but I gather that as they consider themselves "fully engaged" with the HO/NPCC, then they don't need to.
Truth is they were naïve in the extreme and ex-ACPO, ex-NPCC lead on Firearms and Explosives, former Hants Chief Constable Andy Marsh ran rings around them. He must be in hysterics at how it has all turned out for shooters. Meanwhile the force he left languishes 2nd bottom of the performance table for FAC/SCG processing, while Marsh has joined his missus at Avon and Somerset.
The only way this will stop is when the scheme is deemed unsuccesful. The only way it becomes unsuccesful is if the GPs refuse to sign and/or we take the BASC's advice and "don't pay". The best option is that we don't pay as the aim is to get a read code placed on our medical records indicating gun ownership, which is (a) easy and (b) non contentious.
It's always harder on the first few, which we are, but if we could pull together ......
No one (that I have heard of) has refused to pay for a completed letter and as a consequence had their certificates witheld, therefore, there is "no case".
Fraser Sturgeon-Lamb is free to interpret the law as he feels fit, he has concluded that "the people of Scotland, the wider public, want to feel safe in their beds" and that "they (the people of Scotland) have given him the responsibility to make that happen" (I think he said "it's my destiny" - but I may have been mistaken), he is the Chief Inspector and head of PS FELD after all. His interpretation is no doctors letter = no certificate (without further investigation). I've heard he stands bolt upright, lifts both his arms, tilts his head back and yells FREEEDOM every morning before breakfast. I've asked his staff if he does it after discussions with the Home Office (how dare these English f*nnies come up here and impose their rules) but they are far to polite to say.
Anyway he retires soon and there will be a new sherrif in town, perhaps this will be Jillian Kerr (?) she looks a lot nicer than Fraser and i'd love to go out for a drink with her
It's always harder on the first few, which we are, but if we could pull together ......
No one (that I have heard of) has refused to pay for a completed letter and as a consequence had their certificates witheld, therefore, there is "no case".
Fraser Sturgeon-Lamb is free to interpret the law as he feels fit, he has concluded that "the people of Scotland, the wider public, want to feel safe in their beds" and that "they (the people of Scotland) have given him the responsibility to make that happen" (I think he said "it's my destiny" - but I may have been mistaken), he is the Chief Inspector and head of PS FELD after all. His interpretation is no doctors letter = no certificate (without further investigation). I've heard he stands bolt upright, lifts both his arms, tilts his head back and yells FREEEDOM every morning before breakfast. I've asked his staff if he does it after discussions with the Home Office (how dare these English f*nnies come up here and impose their rules) but they are far to polite to say.
Anyway he retires soon and there will be a new sherrif in town, perhaps this will be Jillian Kerr (?) she looks a lot nicer than Fraser and i'd love to go out for a drink with her
Having a drink with Jillian Kerr shouldn't be a problem - she's got form!!
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...pector-who-was-reprimanded-for-falling-877566
Cheers
Bruce
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...pector-who-was-reprimanded-for-falling-877566
Cheers
Bruce
Scots_stalker
Well-Known Member
I received a text from a friend this morning who lives in cumbernauld to ask if I would store his shotgun come January when his ticket expires , as his doctor will not sign his form as he is anti gun ownership.
The latest BMA advice to GPs is that they have to respond to the initial police letter and if they have a conscientious objection they have to find an alternative GP who will deal with the matter
https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/ethics/ethics-a-to-z/firearms
Cheers
Bruce
https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/ethics/ethics-a-to-z/firearms
Cheers
Bruce
Your friends should contact the FELD on 01768 895580 and ask their advice as soon as possible. Let them know the situation and the name/contact details of the surgery as this shouldn't be his problem. The new guidelines issued by the BMA state that the Doctor must respond to the police letter so your friend is entitled to request assistance from PS. The General Medical Council are also on your friends side as they state "You (the doctor) may choose to opt out of providing a particular procedure because of your personal beliefs and values, as long as this does not result in direct or indirect discrimination against, or harassment of, individual patients or groups of patients."
I would suggest that this (refusal) would result in a direct conflict of this rule as the action will cause your friend stress/worry.
Please keep us informed.
I'd be very interested if the Doctor changes his mind and demands a fee, especially if the Doctor states that the Police suggested he could charge a specific amount.
I think the "anti gun" thing has just been used as an excuse by GP to force Police Scotland/BMA to come up with some guidelines that provides GP's with an income.
As Miki states, this bridge has now been crossed.
I amdue for renewal in 2017 and will shortly be checking delays on websites and talking to my (new) doctors to pre-empt any difficult situations. I am very much hoping nothing goes pear-shaped in the meanwhile. That having been said, I have a new permission for fox and (hopefully) deer, mainly fallow. I shall be coppering all bets to make sure all is smooth going.
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RICK O SHEA
Well-Known Member
I recently had a call from my local gp's practice stating that they had been contacted by avon & somerset reguarding my renewal and were happy to comply with information as soon as they recieved £20
My friend had the same call a month earlier.
My friend had the same call a month earlier.
sikastag270
Well-Known Member
had to go private gp £125 plus £70 =£195 all in.
happy camper (not)
happy camper (not)
sikastag270
Well-Known Member
ms sufferer, hope this does not affect my renewal.
I had the same Rick but a request for £50, i refused to pay and notified my licensing department of such, my FAC renewal was not effected and arrived three weeks before expiry.
Ian.
A Constabulqary following the HO guidelines, how refresing - how Carling !
In Scotland, such a refusal may/possibly/could have a different outcome, although I have yet to hear of anyone that has (like you) refused to pay.
Then why talk to your GP if you dont have a notifiable condition? let your renewal application run its normal course and wait and see if you get a request for a payment for the Initial police letter, then its up to you if you pay it or not, its Police Scotland that are making up there own criteria and refusing to issue certificates over non payment not England/Wales.
Why invite possible unnecessary attention when there is no need to?
Ian
I will do as you suggest but expect the Police Scotland 'illness' to move southward, it logically will, as the agenda is a disarmed population .
Thanks
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