The newly adopted New South Wales Firearms Health Risk Assessment is a step in the right direction for gun safety.
The NSW Police Firearms Registry engaged with other police, licensing agencies and health bodies to improve health assessment and reporting systems for gun licensing.
The main changes are:
- Comprehensive health risk assessments: Considerations for non-psychological conditions such as dementia and serious head injuries will ensure a thorough assessment of all potential risks.
- Guidelines for delegates and health professionals: Health professionals now have greater guidance for making informed assessments about an individual’s capacity to safely handle firearms.
- Role of GPs: The new system allows GPs with at least five years of treatment history or access to the applicant’s medical history to complete the risk assessment.
- Notification system: The registry will now notify medical practitioners when a gun licence is issued following a health risk assessment. This allows better oversight and timely interventions if a licence holder’s health status changes.
- Special conditions for reassessment: For individuals with health considerations, reassessment will focus on the severity and management of their condition.
It should be noted, people living with mental illness are not inherently more violent than other Australians. Indeed, they are more likely to use a gun on themselves than on others.
Suicide is the leading cause of gun deaths in Australia.
See the new guidelines online
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