Proof of address for gp registration

[Sevendaysaweek]

Ds1 has moved out to live with another relative. He needs regular medication so needs a gp where he’s moved to ASAP. The bank won’t let him change his address as he’s passport is out of date he’s awaiting a new one but obviously the wait could be a while. I’ve looked up the law and I see that legally speaking a gp practice can’t refuse to take patients that don’t have proof of address but I’m not sure how this actually works in principle.

Even if he was just visiting the relative he could register as a temporary resident and see a GP.

Our practice does request ID and proof of address when new patients register, I suppose as they assume people will have it. However, someone must have brought up the fact that they shouldn’t be refused without proof, as the practice manager sent an email around the whole practice to inform everyone that patients can still be registered with us with no documentation.

If he has an old repeat bit off his past prescriptions which has his NHS number on it would be helpful I suppose.

Thank you. He has his birth certificate and out of date passport. He also has his repeat slip With his nhs number.

I registered with my GP in the summer and didn’t need any proof of address - needed a fairly urgent referral and we’d just returned to UK after 8 years overseas. I had a phone call with them to explain our circumstances and they were more than happy to register me and help gets thing sorted.

He could register as a temporary patient for up to 3 months. Students do it if they need to see a GP during the long summer break. And no they can't refuse to register someone who has no proof of id or address because that's discrimination against people of no fixed abode for example.

Could he register as a temporary patient whilst he gets a proof of address sorted? You don't usually need proof for a temp registration.

Alternatively does he have a provisional driving license? It's free to change the address on those, mine took about 2 weeks.

We went to GP first with no proof then I used GP registration to enrol DS in school.

As a passport is not mandatory could the bank give you a list of other acceptable documents for proof of address? There are plenty of children that don't have a passport so hopefully the bank will have some other way to verify address.

Thanks everyone. He needs to be a permanent patient really as he needs medical treatment in the area and hospital referrals often won’t be accepted if not a permanent patient.

Why does the bank need a passport to change his address, people without passports move and change address all the time surely

The bank are saying they need photo id.

Boaters sign up to Gp practices without proof of address quite regularly. 99% of practices do it without any problem and either put the practice as the patient address or another address as specified by the boater within the local area - marina, post office etc. The 1% who refuse often roll over when shown the relevant bit of the nhs website which states they cannot refuse treatment. Just use what you do have - and get him to speak to the practice manager if the receptionist argues.

Here you go.

We signed up to our GP by using our tenancy agreement as proof of address. Print off a modal tenancy agreements from the gov.uk website and get him to sign one. That should be sufficient for them.

I can change my banking address on the app, has he tried this?

I also had this situation once and a letter from the relative I was living with was ok until I had updated my address.

@Sevendaysaweek

I phoned a practise today as we've moved and was told not to bother with proof of address atm as they don't want unnecessary people at the surgery. It may be worth ringing the new practise to find out whether they're doing the same!

They didn't want the ID either!

Great thanks I will ask him to double check as so far he hasn’t contacted any just assumed!

Apply for a provisional driving licence. It’s photo ID.

We've just been told at my practice that GPs can't ask for photo ID or proof of address anymore

He’s rung the one closet to him and been told they won’t accept him without proof of address. The next nearest isn’t within walking distance.

They cannot do that see my previous post. Scene shot taken from the nhs website. They can lose there nhs contract.

Thank you I will him to send the screenshot to them.