After extensive work, the BMA have published guidance on the firearms licensing process, setting out the BMA position on firearms licensing and providing information to GPs on what to do when someone applies for a firearms licence, including responding to the police and conscientious objection. 

The BMA has had significant involvement in the development of Home Office guidance for chief officers of police on firearms licensing that came into effect on 1 November 2021.

The BMA strongly support the Government’s overall message, that gun ownership is a privilege and not a right, and that firearms must be in the hands of only those who are deemed safe and responsible.

The 2021 statutory guidance and the arrangements for medical checks for applications reflects the BMA’s significant contribution to its development. Public safety is paramount for the Association and the guidance clearly sets the standards, clarifies the national process and provides a unified approach for doctors and police forces to follow.

Read the full guidance here