Recent events and our UK law...

[Gingercat]

I think that there is a case for instant reporting, to your local constabulary, by your GP (or the NHS) of any change to you mental health or wellbeing.

The husband of a work colleague was signed off work (for many months) from the ambulance service with 'post traumatic stress disorder' and yet still retained his 'hunting' semi auto .22 rifle with silencer. The police would apparently not be aware of his mental health until the next renewal, possibly as long as 5 years distant... that doesn't seem right, or entirely safe, to me.

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[Alan de Enfield]

I think that there is a case for instant reporting, to your local constabulary, by your GP (or the NHS) of any change to you mental health or wellbeing.

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100% agree in principle, but in reality how many GP's know which of their patients hold firearms ?

I dare bet that any enquiry from the Police to a GP is fielded by an 'office girl' who may check the records and declare the applicant 'safe'. The Doctor is probably totally unaware of either the enquiry or the 'patient' holding a firearm.

In the last 15 years I've been to my Doctors surgery only once, and that was for an 'over 50's well man check' (blood pressure, diabetes, weight, chloresterol, etc) so he would not have a clue about my mental state.

[Gingercat]

100% agree in principle, but in reality how many GP's know which of their patients hold firearms ?

I dare bet that any enquiry from the Police to a GP is fielded by an 'office girl' who may check the records and declare the applicant 'safe'. The Doctor is probably totally unaware of either the enquiry or the 'patient' holding a firearm.

In the last 15 years I've been to my Doctors surgery only once, and that was for an 'over 50's well man check' (blood pressure, diabetes, weight, chloresterol, etc) so he would not have a clue about my mental state.

My situation is similar: in our busy local health centre, you're lucky to ever see the same doctor twice. When asked about my mental health, my 'registered' doctor said he'd never met me.

However, I think it would have to work along the lines that if you apply for a firearms or shotgun certificate, the police enquire about your mental state with your GP and at that point they put 'firearms owner' on your medical record, for possible future reference.