Lincolnshire has become the first place in the country to require the medical information of every person applying for a firearms licence or a renewal.
The initiative will mean licences are never granted before up-to-date medical records checks are received. This will apply to new applications from today April 4 and renewals as of August 1.
Lincolnshire Police is launching this to improve the safety of both licence holders and county residents, recognising that it has more than 20,000 licences in the county.
National advice from the Home Office currently requires police forces to apply for medical records checks. However, if a force then doesn’t receive a response from the applicant’s GP within 21 days – the force is guided to assume there are no medical issues and grant a licence.
A spokesman said the new rule hopes to improve safety and cut suicides.
