Terms & Conditions | Vortex Medicals

Terms and Conditions of Service

Vortex Medical Ltd (Trading as Vortex Medicals)

1. The Agreement

1.1. Contractual Binding: By completing the referral form and processing the required payment, you (the "Applicant") enter into a legally binding contract with Vortex Medical Ltd (Company Number: 16359892), hereinafter referred to as "Vortex Medicals."

1.2. Agency: If you are acting on behalf of another individual, you warrant that you have the legal authority to bind that individual to these terms.

1.3. Service Definition: The service provided is the clinical review of medical records for the purpose of firearms or shotgun license medical report verification as required by UK police forces.

2. Clinical Assessment & Scope

2.1. Medical Review: You acknowledge that a qualified medical professional will review your full medical history. This assessment is specifically designed to assist the police in determining suitability for a license by identifying history or diagnoses of:

Acute stress reactions or trauma-induced psychological distress.
Depression, anxiety, or suicidal ideation/self-harm.
Dementia, Mania, Bipolar Disorder, or Psychotic disorders.
Personality disorders and Neurological conditions (e.g., Epilepsy, MS, Parkinson’s).
History of alcohol or drug misuse.
Any other physical or mental condition that may compromise the safe possession of a firearm.

2.2. Reporting: The resulting medical report will be shared with you and/or the relevant police constabulary responsible for your licensing.

3. Timelines and External Dependencies

3.1. Expected Duration: Vortex Medicals stipulates a standard processing window of up to 37 days to complete the report. This timeline accounts for the administrative process of requesting and receiving full medical records from your GP surgery.

3.2. GP Record Retrieval: Under standard practice, GP surgeries are expected to provide medical records within 30 days. However, the Applicant acknowledges that in rare circumstances, GP surgeries may breach this timeframe.

3.3. Third-Party Delays: Any delay caused by a GP surgery's failure to comply with a Subject Access Request (SAR) or medical record request is entirely outside the control of Vortex Medicals. We shall not be held liable for delays resulting from GP surgery administrative backlog, postal issues, or non-compliance.

3.4. Final Turnaround: Upon receipt of complete and legible medical records from the GP, Vortex Medicals aims to finalise and dispatch the report within three (3) working days. This is an aim, not a guarantee, as complex medical histories may require extended clinical review.

4. Financial Terms

4.1. Advanced Payment: Payment for all referrals must be settled in full at the time of submission via our secure online portal. We accept major credit and debit cards; however, American Express is not accepted.

4.2. Fee Structure: The fee includes the clinical review, administrative processing. Any additional information required due to omissions in the initial referral may incur supplemental administrative charges at our discretion.

5. Cancellation and Refund Policy

5.1. Right to Cancel: You may request a cancellation by emailing our support team during standard business hours (Monday–Friday, 08:30–17:00).

5.2. Eligibility for Refund:

Full Refund: Granted only if the cancellation request is received and acknowledged before a panel doctor has been allocated to the file or has commenced the clinical review.
Non-Refundable: Once a doctor has been allocated and the medical review process has begun, or if the report has been completed and dispatched, no refund will be issued under any circumstances.

5.3. Administrative Termination: If Vortex Medicals is unable to perform the service for internal reasons, a full refund will be issued. Our liability in such cases is strictly limited to the fee paid.

6. Applicant Obligations & Indemnity

6.1. Accuracy of Information: The Applicant is solely responsible for the integrity of the data provided. You acknowledge that your medical report—including any inaccuracies or comments arising from incorrect data you provided—will be viewed by the police.

6.2. Police Acceptance: It is your responsibility to verify that your specific police force accepts medical reports from independent providers. Vortex Medicals is not liable if a force refuses a report based on their localised policy.

6.3. GP Marker: In line with 2019 Home Office guidance, Vortex Medicals will instruct your GP to place a "firearms marker" on your record. This ensures the police are alerted to any relevant medical changes post-certification.

6.4. Non-Solicitation: You must not attempt to contact Vortex Medicals' doctors or clinical staff directly for the purpose of private assessments or influencing the report outcome.

6.5. Indemnity: You agree to indemnify Vortex Medicals against any claims, complaints, or legal actions arising from false or misleading information provided in your referral.

7. Practitioner Standards

7.1. Professional Standing: Every clinician on the Vortex Medicals panel is a General Medical Council (GMC) registered practitioner, selectively recruited and trained in firearms licensing requirements.

7.2. Indemnity Insurance: All clinicians hold appropriate professional medical indemnity insurance.

8. Limitation of Liability

8.1. Business Loss: Vortex Medicals provides services for personal licensing purposes only. We are not liable for any business-related losses, including but not limited to loss of profit, loss of opportunity, or business interruption.

8.2. Consequential Loss: Vortex Medicals shall not be held responsible for any consequential losses arising from delays in the licensing process or the refusal of a license by the police.

9. Data Protection and Privacy

9.1. GDPR Compliance: All personal and sensitive medical data is handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

9.2. Privacy Policy: Our full data processing practices are outlined in the Vortex Medicals Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these terms by reference.

10. General Legal Provisions

10.1. Severability: If any provision of these terms is found by a court to be unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

10.2. Transfer of Rights: We may transfer our rights and obligations under these terms to another professional organisation, provided such a transfer does not diminish your contractual rights.

10.3. Jurisdiction: This contract is governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England, Scotland, or Northern Ireland, depending on your place of residence.