Thread: The letter about a renewed FAL comes to his GP.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Having being a fal holder on your medical record opens up another window of data insecurity. Medical records are freely transferred and accessible to drs and practice staff.

Plus acc, or if your employer is accredited the info for any current claims can be accessed by any tom dick or harriet at the outfit contracted by your employer. My last claim like that the physio on assessment put down 'can't hunt or use firearms' as part of my injury consequences and under the 'path to healing' section for where I need to get back to. That's emblazoned over everything on that specific claim now, for anyone who opens the case files to see and also has a lot of other personal info like what my job was, movement times, address etc etc. That was an eye-opening moment for me - not impressed to be totally fair but it wasn't the physio's job it's just the system info security and privacy sucks.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Having being a fal holder on your medical record opens up another window of data insecurity. Medical records are freely transferred and accessible to drs and practice staff.

Why would it be on your medical record?

An assumption i admit but after contact from police to report your "fitness" why would a dr not record that interaction as they are expected to notify police if your "state of mind changes"

From recollection, in the original advice given to doctors, they were told the fact that patient has a F.A.L. Should be recorded on their files in a prominent manner, or words to that effect.

Originally Posted by StrikerNZ

From recollection, in the original advice given to doctors, they were told the fact that patient has a F.A.L. Should be recorded on their files in a prominent manner, or words to that effect.

Oh dear, another case of the police writing their own 'laws'?

Originally Posted by StrikerNZ

From recollection, in the original advice given to doctors, they were told the fact that patient has a F.A.L. Should be recorded on their files in a prominent manner, or words to that effect.

And if they don’t do that what will happen?

Cops take Drs practicing certificate away?

I had an interesting discussion with my doctor regarding "suitability to hold licence" - and the practice had a check list that they filled out and totalled up the points, and I came up as high risk.

I challenged this, and he showed my the check list (top marks they were being consistent to all), basically I gained to many points becuase I was 1) a male 2) Single 3) had speeding offences - this tipped me to high risk. Thank goodness I hadnt been in for a consultation on depression.

He did at least accept my reasoning and accept they needed to look at the process, but - I mean WTF - it took me to point this out, that half the population were being penalised. I was a little offended that I and half the poulation were being stereotyped in this way.

Originally Posted by Doghead

I had an interesting discussion with my doctor regarding "suitability to hold licence" - and the practice had a check list that they filled out and totalled up the points, and I came up as high risk.

I challenged this, and he showed my the check list (top marks they were being consistent to all), basically I gained to many points becuase I was 1) a male 2) Single 3) had speeding offences - this tipped me to high risk. Thank goodness I hadnt been in for a consultation on depression.

He did at least accept my reasoning and accept they needed to look at the process, but - I mean WTF - it took me to point this out, that half the population were being penalised. I was a little offended that I and half the poulation were being stereotyped in this way.

What the heck is a Doctor doing with information about traffic offenses? Nothing to do with them.

Originally Posted by Doghead

I had an interesting discussion with my doctor regarding "suitability to hold licence" - and the practice had a check list that they filled out and totalled up the points, and I came up as high risk.

I challenged this, and he showed my the check list (top marks they were being consistent to all), basically I gained to many points becuase I was 1) a male 2) Single 3) had speeding offences - this tipped me to high risk. Thank goodness I hadnt been in for a consultation on depression.

He did at least accept my reasoning and accept they needed to look at the process, but - I mean WTF - it took me to point this out, that half the population were being penalised. I was a little offended that I and half the poulation were being stereotyped in this way.

Bottom line is, fit and proper and you'll get a FAL.

Risk assessment is a house of cards, a good lawyer can pick it to bits by asking a few questions. It comes down to that no-one is "no-risk", at the best you are "low-risk", or "average risk". But a good cop, if concerned at all, will do the right thing and pull the pin on a license ... thereby passing that headache on to the court to make the final decision. Safety first and cover your butt first.

Drs are in no position to make a full risk assessment as they don't have your criminal record or police intel on your gang connections, nor do they interview your boss, etc. All they are is a third referee (grammar?) and they would naturally prefer not to have to be the person that blocked someone from getting a FAL (or driving license).

But @tac a1, GPs are able to do a mental health assessment and do those every working day. We're allowed to, actually we are *required* to, inform if there is someone out there that we have serious safety concerns over, whether a pilot or a FAL holder. But like I said, we deal with real people that we know and we would not make such a call lightly, it would have to be way out there.

I'd say your GP practice is run a bunch of anti-gun fruit loops. None of those things are health reasons.

thats quite bizarre. none of those things should be a red flag really.

There's no way a GP should be being asked for a patient's mental health status. That is not their role. Ok, sure if they believe that a person in mentally unstable, then notify the correct dept.

A Dr cannot release any information to the Police directly about a patient.

The answer was
1) Male - higher risk of suicide
2) Single - higher risk of anti social tendances (obviously being single is considered abnormal)
3) Traffic offences - A risk taker with a disregard for authority

The next time I was in - the doctor was a late 50s australiation chappie I saw for an ACC referral for deafness. He was more interested in all the best places for shooting when he wrote up the background for my hearing impediments - alas only a locum and has moved on. (bloody good doctor too - knew all the best things for performance enhancements)

I guess this just highlights some more the stupidity we have to contend with on a day to day basis.

My GP retired. no one bought his practice so it was amalgamated into a new "medical centre" who at the moment has lost all of their doctors... So no doctor on hand at all. It would be interesting if I was reapplying for a licence!

Originally Posted by bumblefoot

My GP retired. no one bought his practice so it was amalgamated into a new "medical centre" who at the moment has lost all of their doctors... So no doctor on hand at all. It would be interesting if I was reapplying for a licence!

So neither negative or positive for you ... unless indeed your medical notes contain references to regular, excess alcohol and resulting Othello syndrome.