Labour must act on mandatory Medical Markers to save lives

Emma Pattison’s husband and Lettie’s dad, George Pattison used an online doctor to receive a “significant amount” of propranolol between 2019 and 2021 prior to his latest shotgun licence renewal

Despite his change in mental health, the online doctor was unaware of his shotgun licence, and this medication was not disclosed to his GP. George shot and killed Emma and Lettie in their family home before turning the gun on himself in 2023.

If the medical professionals had known of his firearm, maybe Emma would still be working at Epsom College, and Lettie might have celebrated her 10th birthday this year.

Medical markers on the GP records of firearm licence holders are not a new idea. Having been implemented as optional by the Conservatives in 2022, once applied to a patient’s record, these markers flag that an individual has a firearms licence and automatically alerts doctors if there is a relevant change in their medical situation.

This could include a change in their mental health or evidence of domestic abuse, allowing the GP to have a conversation with the patient and, if necessary, inform the police.

I am glad the Government has now released the data showing how many GPs are already using these markers and how effective they are.

In 2022-23, 93,700 new digital markers were applied, in 2023-24 that figure was 85,650, and for 2024-25, 98,690 new digital markers were applied to medical records.

They also shared the number of cases where a GP has notified the police of a medical concern about a certificate holder following a review prompted by the digital marker.

In 2022-23, 1,180 cases were referred by GPs to police forces because of the digital marker, in 2023-24 that figure was 1,040, and in 2024-25 it was 1,140. That is potentially thousands of life-saving interventions over the last three years with thanks to these medical markers.

These markers are also extremely popular across the board. A survey carried out by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners found that 87 per cent of existing certificate holders believe GPs should inform the police if they become aware of a change in health which could impact a certificate holder’s ability to safely own a gun.

The British Association of Shooting Conservation and the Countryside Alliance, who have a combined membership of over 200,000 people and proudly advocate for rural communities, both support the introduction of mandatory medical markers.

The British Medical Association and the Royal College of GPs both support these markers and issue guidance to their members about how to use them.

Finally, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s Office back mandatory markers and, most importantly, the families of victims of domestic homicides.

Robert Needham killed his partner Kelly Fitzgibbons and their children, Ava aged four, and Lexi aged two, in West Sussex in 2020.

In Needham’s case, because of changes to gun licence guidelines, a flag was initially input onto his GP record, then removed.

A statement from Kelly’s family following the inquest into their deaths described the monitoring and sharing of information between police and medical professionals regarding his shotgun licence as a “shambles”.

I am disappointed that the Labour Party failed to take the opportunity to make these markers mandatory, but myself and the Liberal Democrats, with welcomed support from colleagues across the House, will continue to work cross-party to see these markers become mandatory.

Medical markers exist for pilots, HGV drivers and other professions where a change in health would directly impact their ability to safely do their job.

I believe that the lives of Emma, Lettie, Kelly, Ava and Lexi should, and could, have been saved. If there is a hole in legislation, it is our duty to plug it and make sure gun deaths remain at an all-time low.


I don’t ever wish to come back to the Chamber and discuss another avoidable death. Change must happen now to save lives.