Register with our practice

In order to register with the practice you should ensure that you comply with all the criteria shown below.  Please read the information carefully.  You will need to fill in a registration form, show proof of identity – as detailed below – and complete the New Patient Questionnaire. You can also download the practice leaflet.

Registration Form

Practice Leaflet

New Patient Questionnaire

1) You must:

• Live in our catchment area
• Be staying in the UK for 3 or more months
• Can provide proof of their identity
• Can provide proof of their address

2) If a patient can not prove the above but intends to be a “resident” they can be seen at this Practice as a temporary patient. Patient is eligible to temporary registration if they:

• Due to be in the UK for between 24 hours and 3 months
• Staying within our catchment area
• Can provide proof of their identity

3) Who else can be registered:

• Newborn child of somebody who is already registered
• Spouse of a “resident” registered at this Practice
• Asylum seekers, refugees, victims of trafficking, UK citizen employed by British Government overseas  (Immigration status does not affect eligibility to primary care  – practices should not enquire about patients immigration status)
• Be allocated to the practice by NHS Richmond

4) Anyone who needs:

• Emergency Care
• Immediate & Necessary Treatment ( and provide 14 days of further cover following the provision of Immediate & Necessary treatment)
• Where Care to protect Public Health (e.g. TB, Meningitis, Viral Hepatitis, Smallpox) is involved

will be seen at this Practice, regardless of the above conditions, using form GMS3

Reasons for not registering a patient would be:

• Anyone who does not fall into categories 1 to 4 (e.g. on holiday)
• Patient does not live within the surgery’s official practice area (area on the map)
• The practice has previously requested that the patient be removed from the practice list (except where patient has been allocated to the practice by NHS Richmond)
• The patient is currently accessing Primary Care Extra services

Visiting nationals from the European Economic Area in possession of a Form E128, E112 or European Health Insurance (EHIC) or nationals from any state with which the UK has a reciprocal agreement are eligible to receive free NHS care. However, they may not be entitled to free treatment for a pre-existing condition or where it is reasonable to postpone treatment until the visitor returns home.

Moving out of area:
If a patient moves out of area AND

• It is not far from the Practice area boundaries AND
• It has been approved by District Nurses Team AND
• If a patient is receiving ongoing care

their request will be given to their usual GP who will decide whether they should be kept on or whether it would be in their best interests to register with a practice nearer to their new address.

Choosing A GP

Patients have the right to register with the Medical Performer (GP) of their choice. However, they can be advised that a particular GP is taking most new registrations this month and be offered this as a default if they are unfamiliar with any of the GPs.  Additional information about each partner is available and should be offered to the patient if they are uncertain who they wish to register with.

It should be made clear to the patient that they are not obliged to see the doctor with whom they are registered.

The Process of Registration

• Patients may or may not have their medical card when they come to register. Always use the GMS1 form for permanent patients and GMS3 for temporary or Immediate and Necessary patients (for newborn babies a discharge letter is not enough as the forenames are not given there).
• Ask the patient to complete a new patient questionnaire for each person who is registering (over 5s only).
• Always ask for NHS number (for babies a discharge letter will have one, for adults look on a national spine to obtain one or find it out from their previous GP).

In case a baby needs to be seen and no NHS number is given, the child should be registered with its mother’s name, DOB and NHS number.

• The GMS1 and GMS3 form MUST be signed – this is a legal document.
• For a photo ID please see below.
• For a proof of address please see below.
• Give the patient a practice booklet and any other information that is appropriate to their needs.
• Ask the parent of any child under 5 years to bring in their “red book” so that the page showing immunisations can be photocopied and this essential information added to the patient record as soon as possible.

If a patient can not produce the listed documentation but states that they reside within the practice boundary then practices should  either:

•  Accept the registration but a note should be made for them to bring documentation next time they attend the surgery.
• Agree to register them as an NHS patient if he or she is accompanied to the practice by other household members who do have the necessary documentation.

Registration and appointments should not be withheld because a patient does not have the necessary proof of residence or personal identification. Practices cannot refuse an application to join their list on any basis relating to the applicant’s race, gender, social class, age, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, disability or medical condition.

Registration of Children

The legal definition of a child is 0 to 18 yeas of age.

Proof of identity and address for every child, supported by official documentation, is a standard requirement.  It is essential for identifying children who may have been trafficked or who are privately fostered.

Children who have been temporarily registered with the practice should, without delay, proceed to permanent registration after three months.

Children of parents or carers who have been removed from the list following a breakdown of the GP/patient relationship must not be left without access to primary care services.

A risk assessment should be undertaken and arrangements made to ensure primary care services are still available to them.  Unresolved risks and issues should be shared with any other relevant agencies and the London NHS Commissioning Board.

Homeless & Vulnerable Patients

We appreciate that some patients may not be able to produce any documentation.

Practices are nevertheless expected to register homeless people or those legitimately unable to provide documentation living within their catchment area who wish to register with them.

Arranging Appointments

New Patient Checks

• All patients (aged 5+) should be encouraged to attend for a new patient check with the Healthcare Assistant. Patients should be reminded that the questionnaire must be brought to the appointment if it has not previously been returned to the surgery.
• All patients having a new patient check should be asked to provide a sample of urine and be given a MSU bottle for each family member concerned.

This process is necessary so that we have information about the patient(s) prior to the medical notes being received from their previous GP – usually after several weeks but sometimes longer.

Other Appointments

• Patients on regular medication must be given an appointment with their new doctor because they will not be able to obtain any repeat prescriptions until they have been seen.
• If a patient is pregnant she will need to have an early ante-natal appointment with the doctor so that she can be booked in.
• Where a GP refers an overseas visitor for hospital services they should inform the patient that the hospital may charge them for treatment even though the GP may have treated them on the NHS.

IDENTIFICATION: (it is preferable that one item of photo ID needs to be seen)
Passport
Entry clearance document (stamped)
UK photocard driving licence
Current residence permit (stamped)
Benefit/pension book (not card)
HMRC document
ID card for foreign nationals

ADDRESS:
Housing contracts
Utility bills
Bank statements
Residence permit
Letter from IND/BIA (with stamp)
HMRC document
Work permit
Official insurance documents
(The lists are not exhaustive)

Refusing Registration

If a practice refuses any patient registration then they must record the name, date and reason for the refusal and write to the patient within 14 days explaining why they have been refused.

This information should be made available to commissioners on request. Commissioners may ask practices to submit the numbers of registration refusals, age, ethnicity and reasons as part of their quality assurance process.