To think that surely we should be able to register at a GP practice without this much hassle?

[Justwaitingforaline]

To cut a lot story short, I have spent 2 hours on the phone to 5 GP practices this morning

We are out of area for all of them. One of them is the GP practice my inlaws are at ( have been for 11 months and we live at the same address as them), yet because they are 'historical patients', it makes no difference to whether they will register us or not. None of them will take DP, DD and I and I am at a loss as to what to do. One receptionist told me to just call 111 whenever someone was ill, another told me to stay at the one we are currently at, 35 minutes away.

Is it worth appealing to the practice manager? How can there be a piece of road which is out of catchment for all of them?

NHS Choices website should find you practices for which you are in the catchment area? Otherwise, google your lical Health Authority and ask them where you can register - they will tell you. And if you still have this much trouble they will allocate you a surgery. Dreadful advice from the person who told you to just ring 111 when needed
Good luck!

*local!

I used the NHS choices website and worked my way down the list - all said not in catchment!

Is there not a surgery where you are in the catchment area?

Yanbu, it shouldn't be so difficult! Sadly there is a GP recruitment crisis, many GPs are older and coming up to retirement with not enough younger ones to replace them. But none of that is your fault and you certainly should be able to register with a local surgery!

When you rang up, did you mention the road first or that there are 3 of you?

I wouldn't worry - even if you got registered you'd still not be able to get an appointment

That's a very strange situation. Many practices aren't accepting new patients, and definitely not if you're not in catchment, but it's odd that you don't fall into the catchment of ANY surgeries.

Are you in England? If so I would contact the NHS England Customer Contact Centre here and ask for their advice. They may be able to force a GP registration with the understanding that you aren't eligible for a home visit or additional services.

Whatever you have been told on the phone, all you need to do is fill in the correct form to apply to be 'taken on' by a GP.

www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/doctors/Pages/NHSGPs.aspx

This link will take you to the NHS's own information about choosing a GP, if you scroll down nearly to the bottom (under the heading 'Registering with a GP') you will find the form you need to fill in - there is a link to download one, but some practices have their own version so you might have to pop in and ask for one. (It is the GMS1 form). I don't know if you need one per household, or one per person though.

If you apply to practice(s) that are out of catchment and you are refused (eg. if they are already full) you can find which one(s) are in catchment/are closest here:

www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/GP/LocationSearch/4

It tells you various things, but importantly it shows which of the GPs in your area are accepting new patients at the moment.

I hope you get sorted soon.

sidge Yes, down in the south of England!
ohbegger Frustratingly, i have done all of that. I see NHS choices to see which ones are in catchment. After being told by them all that we weren't ( 2 of the 5 were on NHS choices), their own websites state that we are not. They are all accepting new patients, just none of them from out of catchment. There is a section of the road that we live on which isn't covered by any GP. One of them did cover the area, hence why my in laws are registered, but they changed it a month ago and we are now 3m the wrong side of a lane.

I was nearly in this position - I was dumped by my practice of 26 years for being 'out of catchment' (it had been changed at some point in that time) as was a friend in their 70s who had been there all his life. They give you 31 days notice, then you are without a GP.

Our small local village one took us on, but they are thinking of having to turn people away. It is hard to get an appointment - it took 3 weeks to get a med review with the nurse. They were not an ideal choice as they only have one part-time GP as the other does not do 'women's stuff' . However, they finally managed to get a new one who is very experienced. I did not dare look further afield because.