Changing GP from out of district/area on behalf of a friend

justinbarrow

A friend who is quite ill is moving to a different area outside of her original district and when close family recommend a few GP surgeries that they would recommend and she contacts them to register they say no and that their lists are closed.

The only other surgeries are not ones that she wants to consider. She has tried to register at 3 surgeries that have been recommended but all 3 say their lists have been closed for ages and when she asks them when they might re-open she is told by the receptionist that they have been there for 5 to 7 years and its not ever been open.

What concerns her is when she phoned the local area NHS service they told her that the 3 recommended surgeries she had tried to register with have open lists and when she told them that their lists are closed she seemed surprised.

She has been advised to register with a surgery that doesn't come as highly rated as the ones she has been trying to register with.

Does a surgery have a right to keep lists closed for so long as 7 years seems a long time not to take on patients and can you go higher up the ladder to push for the surgery that you wish to register with.

This is a totally different area from where she lives now and feels let down by all this, I thought I would ask on here on her behalf as she says if she was healthy then she would not mind wherever she goes but when you need to have regular check ups and trips to the Dr she would like to have a say in one of the 3 surgeries she has been trying to register with.

Thanks for any help with this.

CJHunter

Hiya, although i do not know the answer, i believe that a letter to the practice manager and pct may help, or your local Pals.

There are probably others on here that will know, these are my thoughts on this.

Wish yr friend all the best, and keep trying.xx

frogmorton

If it were me l would be likely to try to get it in writing from the local health authority that the 'lists' are still open then write to the one she wants to join, with a copy of the letter.

Hope she gets sorted soon.

Love

Toni xxx

Colin1

Is it possible its a cost thing and if they think a new patien will use a lot of the budget they say no. Really someone should look into it. I think as we get older we do put more strain and finance on nhs and the GP but does that give them the right to pick and choose.
Colin

justinbarrow

Thanks for the advice, she asked the NHS area office if she could have it in writing that their lists are open and she was advised to contact the surgeries she would like to register with again to be told its a different system.

Even when you look on the NHS choices website it clearly says "this surgery is taking on new patients" But they are not.

She doesn't know what to do as she has a lot of GP visits and needs to feel comfortable with whoever she wants to be with.

You can choose which hospital you want to have treatment with so why cant this be the same for GP surgeries. The 3 surgeries that have come recommended are quite big aswell so they should have budgets to take on new people.

Thanks again for the help.

elnafinn

Hi Justin

Just had a google but you have probably done that too. I don't know if this may help at all:

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_family/health_index_ew/nhs_patients_rights.htm#RegisteringwithaGPProblems with registering

"Unless the GP’s register is full, or you live too far away for home visits, it is unlikely that the GP will refuse to register you.

However, if the GP does refuse to accept you, then they must have reasonable grounds for doing so. These must not have anything to do with race, gender, social class, age, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, disability or medical condition. The GP must give you the reasons for their decision in writing.

If you have been unable to register with a GP, you should contact the local Primary Care Trust (PCT). You should send your medical card, with a letter giving the name of any GPs who have refused to register you, and of any GPs with whom you would prefer not to be registered.

The PCT will try to find a GP who is prepared to accept you. This will not necessarily be a GP of your choice. Once you have been allocated a GP, the GP must accept you and treat you, and can only remove you from their list under certain circumstances (see under heading GP removes patient from register). The PCT will then have to find you another doctor. The PCT cannot help you find another GP if you are already registered with a GP."

I feel very sorry that you friend has to deal with this upset when she is not at all well. It is so good of you to try to help out.

Elna x