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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think someone shouldn’t be registered with a doctor half an hour from where they live

170 replies

User6007000 · 27/09/2019 20:12

A friend of mine is registered at the same gp as me and she lives half an hour a way from the gp. Aibu to think this shouldn’t be allowed? Where she lives is still the same health care trust. She said there is a law which allowed her to do this? I have always thought gp’s have catchment areas

OP posts:
SoyDora · 27/09/2019 21:20

I lived 2.5 hours from my GP surgery at one point Blush. I stayed registered at the surgery near my parents and moved around a lot, regularly. They were aware of this and happy for it to continue as they weren’t oversubscribed.
Obviously they wouldn’t do a home visit 🤷🏻‍♀️

Iwantacookie · 27/09/2019 21:20

When dp moved in with my his old drs wouldn't let him stay there and told him he had to move to a more local one. He only lived 10/15 mins away before.

stucknoue · 27/09/2019 21:20

Mine is a 30 minute walk away or 5 mins in car on a good day (can walk quicker sometimes!) there's nearer ones but I prefer a large practice and it's all female gp's

littlehappyhippo · 27/09/2019 21:21

@User6007000

YABU, it's none of your business. People CAN register out of their 'catchment' area these days, and thank GOD for that!

My DD moved into a house with her boyfriend 2 years ago, and moved surgeries, (to the one half a mile from her,) and it was, by a country mile, the worst medical practice ever. (She moved because her other practice was 15 miles away, so she thought it made more sense to move.)

She couldn't make a routine appointment, nobody answered the phone, and after 5 minutes of it ringing, it cut off and went dead, and if you went IN to book an appointment, they said 'you need to ring!' It was vile. She was in tears as she needed an appointment urgently.

So I rang around for her, and found a surgery just 2 miles from her who took people out of the area, and happily took her on..She never looked back.

My doctor is 5 miles away in a little market town. People from villages up to 9 or 10 miles away are registered there.

Unless people very closeby are being turned away, YABVVU.

RuthW · 27/09/2019 21:21

Not all surgeries sign up for the 'out of catchment area' contract as it is not compulsory. Doctors also do visits daily to those too ill to get to the surgery.

JennyBlueWren · 27/09/2019 21:21

I live half an hour from my GP and a lot of other people will live a lot further away. The GP is in the town centre on the other side of the town and we are not. It serves a very rural community so many will travel for longer to get in.

Teddybear45 · 27/09/2019 21:22

I have a surgery near me but it’s tiny and didn’t want to register me. So I stayed with my old one which was lucky as it is now linked to the teaching hospital and has 30 doctors!

Shadenevermadeanybodylessgay · 27/09/2019 21:23

Local Dr's 10 mins from me is sh*t, so I'm registered at one 45mins away.
Sorry but we all have the right to decent health care imo

Rosebel · 27/09/2019 21:31

My nearest doctor is about a 20 minute drive away, perhaps I shouldn't be allowed medical care! I don't see why it matters where your friend is registered. How does it affect you in any way?

bigbluebus · 27/09/2019 21:32

Our village GP surgery will only register patients who live within the catchment area. I know a number of people who live in the village who are registered with one if the 3 GP practices in our nearest town which is 5 miles away. However, people from that town would not be allowed to register with our practice. It is entirely up to the individual practice - they are a business and can make their own policies.

OwlsMedicine · 27/09/2019 21:35

When I moved areas, gp surgery was 2 min walk from my front door, but they were oversubscribed and I had to do a 20 min drive to one that would take me and my kids.

MrGsFancyNewVagina · 27/09/2019 21:38

I wait outside the closest doctor’s surgery to get the bus to the one I’m registered with. I’m not going into the details of why I stay with the old one. I sometimes wait outside it to get the bus that goes PAST my own surgery to take my youngest to her surgery and again I’m not sharing the reason why. If I did share the reasons, I’ve very little doubt that you, OP, would say, but that’s different, however I won’t share, because it’s none of your bloody business, why people register with particular surgeries. What skin is it off your nose?

Jamhandprints · 27/09/2019 21:39

What? I'm registered at my nearest GP and it's 45 minutes away.

DoctorHildegardLanstrom · 27/09/2019 21:39

My GP recommend I stay with her as she knew my case, I have to walk past another surgery to get to mine

44PumpLane · 27/09/2019 21:42

YABU.
When I moved house out of catchment for my GP I just signed a form to say I wpiodnt have home visits. I then registered my babies there too and signed the same (figuring if they were ill enough to need a home visit I'd just take them to hospital).

We then moved back to catchment by the time the kids were 2, problem solved.

I have an amazing GP practice and didn't want to leave.

YouLikeTheBadOnesToo · 27/09/2019 21:49

My closest GP surgery is less than half a mile from my house. I’m registered at one 3 miles away. It’s the same GP I was registered to as a child. I updated my address as soon as I moved, they have no issue with it. My dc is also registered there.

It’s a really good surgery, and our family doctor is fantastic. The ‘postcode lottery’ that some people face when it comes to medical care is disgusting. People should be able to make their own choices when it comes to what’s best for their health.

I’m out of the catchment for home visits, but my GP only does those for people who are classed as housebound anyway. Everyone else who is too ill to attend the surgery would be referred to either urgent care or a&e.

I’m not really sure why you even care? If the surgery is happy to take her, there’s absolutely no problem.

TinyMystery · 27/09/2019 21:54

I bumped into a friend in town today who had been at a drs appointment. She lives about half an hour away from where we were. The drs surgery in question is the only one in the area that offers out of hours appointments and due to her working pattern and it being nearer her place of work this allows a bit more flexibility.

Hennysmommy · 27/09/2019 21:57

@Soontobe60 no not automatic right but patients choice. My GP made the decision to keep me.. based on risk factors as previously.

Original poster
User6007000 · 27/09/2019 21:59

As I’ve said it would be different if she didn’t have one close. People saying that their nearest is 30 minutes away isn’t the same thing her nearest is a lot closer

OP posts:
MrGsFancyNewVagina · 27/09/2019 22:00

So? It’s still none of your bloody business.

Ninkaninus · 27/09/2019 22:03

It still makes fuck all difference. What exactly is your issue with this?

Ontheboardwalk · 27/09/2019 22:05

I’m at the same drs as when I lived at home. When I moved 5 miles away many years ago I changed address and had no issues what so ever

I couldn’t start to count the number of practices I drive past to get to my drs. It’s on the way to work so is perfect for me

How does your friend being at the same Dr impact you? Do you think she’s in there first grabbing your appointments?

Don’t Drs get funding based on number of patients? Isn’t she helping your area?

sparkles07 · 27/09/2019 22:08

Is this effecting you in any way at all???

Why does it matter?

I moved 20 mins away from my GP, but kept at the same surgery. I have one on my doorstep, but prefer the practice I've had my whole life, I have, since moving, registered my children at that practice, all fine, and no ones business but mine!

justasking111 · 27/09/2019 22:08

Our nearest gp now is a satellite one open two mornings a week. So we stayed with our old practice when we moved three miles away. Our practice has 8 gps, 6 nurses and a pharmacy. The satellite one has one gp, one nurse when it is open. It is a no brainer.

Iminagony · 27/09/2019 22:13

YABU. There are plenty of reasons someone might not want to use a different gp.