Somerset review

Avon and Somerset Police implement their own recommendation relating to the standard operating procedure for the firearms seizure. In so doing they should liaise with the appropriate policing and justice bodies nationally to ensure that the lessons learned from this review contribute to national practice.

Avon and Somerset Police should put in place a process to ensure that the NICHE system is used to record and flag individuals who have a firearms licence. The DHR panel notes that this is work in progress but recommend it is completed swiftly. Again the police should liaise with the appropriate policing and justice bodies national to ensure that the lessons learned from this review contribute to national practice.

The Safer Somerset Partnership, in conjunction with the Avon and Somerset Police and the Clinical Commissioning Group should liaise with NHS England/Improvement, the Department for Health and Social Care and the Royal College of GPs to consider what national guidance might be put in place to ensure a more consistent approach to GPs responses to police enquiries about an individual’s fitness to hold a firearms licence. This should align with the Governments revisions to UK gun laws announced in October 2021. The government has stated that “No one will be given a firearms licence unless the police have reviewed information from a registered doctor setting out whether or not the applicant has any relevant medical history – including mental health, neurological conditions or substance abuse.”

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust should clarify with organisational partners when their ASCC would usually notify a GP when they have conducted an assessment of an individual. This might only be when a person is at risk of harm to themselves or others, but at present there is no clarity about this. This is an area of practice that needs to be improved.

The Safer Somerset Partnership should undertake work to establish what particular domestic abuse issues might be affected by the rurality of part of their area. They should then use this information to inform their public awareness campaigns and their local training offer.

Avon and Somerset Police should review the standard operating procedure/procedural guidance for firearms seizure and make safe processes to ensure that each part of the process is clearly and fully documented on Niche and recorded with BWV.

GP to consider more formal follow up of patients who may be presenting with depression and consider asking more in depth questions about domestic abuse in light of “stress” in the relationship

It may be helpful to provide further guidance to GPs about what information to disclose to the police regarding shotgun licencing. Consideration should be given as to whether it is appropriate to delegate this work to GP registrars depending on their level of training in this area.

Given that his (Jeremy’s) mood was sufficiently low to warrant medication it would have been appropriate to inform the police in respect of his shotgun licence as per their guidance. The mention of “relationship difficulties” could have prompted a discussion about domestic abuse.

Sleep issues should be explored in greater detail to check for any underlying causes including mental health issues and domestic abuse.