NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group

Health and care · Clinical commissioning group

Pin Request correction

First report 21 Jan 2014•Latest report 21 Jan 2014

Reports, concerns and published responses

Reports over time

Reports naming this recipient by issue year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Reports
1

Naming this recipient

Published responses
0%

Found for named reports

Concerns addressed
0

Across all linked responses

Stated actions
0

Described in responses

Concerns and recipient responses

Statements from NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group linked to the concerns in each report. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

  1. Wiltshire and Swindon

    AI-generated summary

    William Howard DOWLING and Victoria Elaine ROSE · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    On 2 March 2013, William Howard Dowling shot Victoria Elaine Rose twice in the head before shooting himself in the head. The report raised concerns about information sharing between general practitioners and firearms licensing authorities, the wider public-safety implications of confidentiality, and the independence and transparency of firearms licensing decisions involving current or former police employees.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group; that does not assign responsibility.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of arrangements enabling doctors to report relevant information during firearms licence terms

    Wider context from the report

    “(1) During the course of the hearing I heard evidence from ███████ Wiltshire Police Firearms Licensing Manager, who indicated to me that at the present moment in time aside from a letter (copy attached marked A – since July 2011) which is sent to General Practitioners when firearms licence applications are successful or where they are renewed, giving a doctor the opportunity to relay relevant information in relation to their patient within 14 days, there is currently no memorandum of understanding or legislation that allows doctors the ability during the duration of the term of a firearms license, which stands at 5 years, to report matters which may have a bearing on that patient’s suitability to hold a firearms license and possess firearms. Doctors of course are bound at the present moment in time by patient confidentiality. I am concerned that this restriction may impede the firearms authority from making crucial decisions as regards individuals possessing firearms and continuing to hold a firearms licence in circumstances which, at present, may not come before the attention of the Firearms Authority unless the matter has ordinarily come before the police’s attention as a consequence of other aspects of their duties. In evidence from ███████ she made me aware that Wiltshire Police through the cooperation of NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group and two Doctor’s Surgeries were piloting a scheme (directly prompted Victoria’s two sons as a result of his tragedy) effective from September 2013, to allow an increase in the sharing of information in particular having a bearing on the suitability of an individual to hold a firearms licence. She indicated that as a result of this pilot scheme an individual’s firearms were taken away at short notice as a result of the information received from the General Practitioner. This pilot scheme seems to me to be an utterly sensible idea although at present it is a pilot scheme and is not a national concept. This ought to be urgently reviewed. ”
    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group; that does not assign responsibility.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to enable General Practitioners to share public-safety information with relevant authorities

    Wider context from the report

    “(2) I am also concerned that any review arising out of this letter should not be singularly restricted as regards sharing information solely related to the suitability of somebody to hold a firearms licence. Information sharing with a view to public safety should be a reason for General Practitioners to make relevant authority(s) aware and I have in mind here the example of a driver whose eyesight is failing and where advice given from a GP to inform the DVLA, however that driver chooses not to do so as it will mean their licence may be revoked. If it is a matter of public safety then I am concerned at present moment in time that confidentiality appears to outweigh the concept of public safety. ”
    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group; that does not assign responsibility.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of independent and transparent firearms licensing decisions for current or former police employees

    Wider context from the report

    “(3) I am also concerned as regards decisions being made relating to firearms licensing in respect of current employees within that licensing organisation’s (ie the Police) employment or even former employees. Licensing and the determination of such matters should be seen to be transparent and independent. In evidence although relating to matters some 16 years previously there were issues raised by family concerning complaints by Mr Dowling’s ex wife at the time they were getting divorced that appeared to have been “brushed under the carpet” by the police in respect of which Bill was a serving officer. In any event those concerns were not dealt with satisfactorily from the complainant’s perspective. I am concerned that to have a firearms licensing authority dealing with applications from existing police employees or even former employees of that police force is open to possible abuse. Bill Dowling was an exceptionally well known and respected former police employee and my concern is that such matters relative to firearms are so serious that consideration ought to be given to introducing an independent layer so as to ensure independence and transparency. ”
    Open source report
Back to top

Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026