I have just completed my latest FAC & SGC renewal, my first time with the new medical certificate process, and I can honestly say it has been an absolute pain in the arse. Back in November my FEO sent me a letter advising me that I needed to get the medical certificate under way.
Within a week I had spoken to my doctors surgery and they had told me in no uncertain terms "on your bike, we will not complete the form". So I got onto Medcert, filled out their online form, and waited, and carried on waiting. After 2 months I started chasing up the report as the clock was starting to tick towards the renewal date. Kat at Medcert could not have been more unhelpful if she tried, she would not provide a clear update, provide a completion date or advise what the hold up was.
As we progressed into February I gave up emailing and moved onto phoning them. Speaking with Kat at Medcert was an exercise in futility, never giving a straight answer, but promises to phone me back with an update and then forgetting to do either. I eventually I managed to speak to Caroline (due to Kat being on holiday) who understood my slight feeling of frustration as I now had 2 weeks till my renewal date, and had not been able to kick off any of the process, and she got me a my medical certificate through in about 3 hours.
Completion of the renewal online was only the usual level of painful. As I had submitted my renewal so late (to the point where I had received a letter from the licensing team advising me to dispose of my firearms as I had not renewed) I expected that I would be waiting some months for the renewal; I had even arranged with a friend who is an RFD that he could if needed hold my guns for me.
The day before my certificate was due to run out (8 working days after I had completed my renewal paperwork) I had a phone call from the FEO (I expected him to complain about how late I had left it, and it was my fault if there was a delay) but he was genuinely helpful and just wanted to check a couple of things. He informed me that he did not feel a visit was needed for my renewal this time and he would get my new certificates out to me. 18 hours later they landed on my doormat. I can not praise the licensing team highly enough turning around my renewal so quickly.
Postscript: as I wrote this, I was looking through my emails etc to get the chronology of this post correct, and for the first time I have actually had a good look at the medical certificate. What stood out to me was the date is was signed. I originally ordered the certificate on the 28th November and finally received it on the 13th February, the certificate was signed by the Doctor on the 26th December, so where had this certificate sat for 7 weeks and why did I have to chase so many times? I will be following this up with Medcert to understand the delay.
Within a week I had spoken to my doctors surgery and they had told me in no uncertain terms "on your bike, we will not complete the form". So I got onto Medcert, filled out their online form, and waited, and carried on waiting. After 2 months I started chasing up the report as the clock was starting to tick towards the renewal date. Kat at Medcert could not have been more unhelpful if she tried, she would not provide a clear update, provide a completion date or advise what the hold up was.
As we progressed into February I gave up emailing and moved onto phoning them. Speaking with Kat at Medcert was an exercise in futility, never giving a straight answer, but promises to phone me back with an update and then forgetting to do either. I eventually I managed to speak to Caroline (due to Kat being on holiday) who understood my slight feeling of frustration as I now had 2 weeks till my renewal date, and had not been able to kick off any of the process, and she got me a my medical certificate through in about 3 hours.
Completion of the renewal online was only the usual level of painful. As I had submitted my renewal so late (to the point where I had received a letter from the licensing team advising me to dispose of my firearms as I had not renewed) I expected that I would be waiting some months for the renewal; I had even arranged with a friend who is an RFD that he could if needed hold my guns for me.
The day before my certificate was due to run out (8 working days after I had completed my renewal paperwork) I had a phone call from the FEO (I expected him to complain about how late I had left it, and it was my fault if there was a delay) but he was genuinely helpful and just wanted to check a couple of things. He informed me that he did not feel a visit was needed for my renewal this time and he would get my new certificates out to me. 18 hours later they landed on my doormat. I can not praise the licensing team highly enough turning around my renewal so quickly.
Postscript: as I wrote this, I was looking through my emails etc to get the chronology of this post correct, and for the first time I have actually had a good look at the medical certificate. What stood out to me was the date is was signed. I originally ordered the certificate on the 28th November and finally received it on the 13th February, the certificate was signed by the Doctor on the 26th December, so where had this certificate sat for 7 weeks and why did I have to chase so many times? I will be following this up with Medcert to understand the delay.
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