To want my sons correct surname?

[MummyToBe23]

A little rant and checking if I am being unreasonable!

We registered our newborn son with our doctors surgery with his correct name and surname (he has my husbands surname not mine) but the surgery have registered him with the NHS using my surname…which is not what it says on his passport or birth certificate (both of which I’ve shown them!)

It seems to be a massive issue for them to change it and it’s just quite annoying given it is not his surname! He has never had the surname.

AIBU to keep asking them to change it?

Definitely ask them to change it.

Politely but firmly.

This is an error not of your making if they have got the details wrong after seeing the correct documentation - but the longer it goes on the harder it will be sort out (you don’t want to lose records if vaccinations etc)

ask to speak to the practice manager and ask for their help in resolving this issue.

Thank you, that was exactly my worry regarding vaccinations etc. I’ve been really polite but they are just not doing it and every time I ring they say my surname. ARGH. Practice manager always is busy to speak to me when I ring!

Just tell them.
Babies are allocated a NHS number at birth and they will automatically be given the surname of the mother when born (this is important for security reasons).
You literally just need to tell the GP.
My daughters Red Book has "Baby - My Surname" written on it - then crossed out and changed to "Her name - Dad's Surname".
Edit : I see you have asked. Next time say "Is there a form to fill out? I will do it now"

It’s the other way around - his NHS number already exists with your surname as babies are automatically registered under this at birth. When they added his NHS number to the surgery record it probably updated the name on their records as well. Put a written request in and they should be able to sort it.

Thank you, I’ve spoken again and they said they can try to update it on their records but that it may not filter to other departments/hospitals if he is referred as his NHS number says “FirstName WrongSurnsme” and to change the surname means a new nhs number. CONFUSED!

How strange. My daughter has both mine and her father's surname and I asked the GP to put her just under my name and they absolutely refused without a deedpoll so I find this odd. As my daughter does actually have my name.

Yes it is very odd! I’ve now sent his birth certificate to them three times yet their records still show him under my surname. His passport hasn’t yet arrived or I could try giving that but who knows when that’ll arrive!

They seemed very confused that my child could have a different surname to me 😑

@MummyToBe23 that does sound odd.
All babies born in hospital are given the same name as their mother at first but loads then get a different (ie their dad's) when registered - which might not be until a month later.
Very strange.

Why would they need a new NHS number because they changed the surname? Surely people change their names all the time - they're still the same person!

Yes! They said once it’s on the system it’s hard to change it. So strange. And irritating!

@ConfusedConfuse does your daughter have both surnames on her birth certificate though?
That will be why they say she should be registered at the doctor's with both names.
A double surname is her surname.
Isn't it?

I've had this issue too. My daughter's surname is Hisname-Myname. At the surgery she is just Myname. I've corrected it but it always seems to revert. Last time I got it corrected the receptionist started babbling about needing to bring in her birth certificate to show the name change. I did eventually manage to get across that there has been no change, they just keep getting it wrong. Grrrr.

Nope the baby doesn’t have my surname anywhere on her birth certificate apart from where it says his name. So my surname is not there!

@MummyToBe23 the important thing to remember is your baby's NHS number will never change and will follow him through life so his medical records will never get lost.
At the moment this is annoying - but it won't be denied any medical care just because his birth certificate says different.
Keep telling them - but don't panic over it.

This is crazy! My son was baby mysurname when he was born. Registered him on birth certificate as my then fiancé's surname. Then registered at the doctors and there was never an issue. They sound like they're being difficult for the sake of it.

@MummyToBe23 sorry to confuse you but the question about the double name was for @ConfusedConfuse rather than you 🙂

Thank you. I’m worried if when he’s older and just say something bad happens and he goes to A&E and gives his correct name with surname they can’t find his records as he’s there under the wrong name 😪

I changed my name when I got married 15 years ago. My NHS Covid record is bizarrely in my maiden name, yet my NHS App and GP records all show my married name.

Even when I attended a Covid Vaccination appt 3 yrs ago, booked in my married name, they tried to turn me away as they couldn't find me on the list despite having my appointment letter.

It turned out that the computer record they were using to record my vaccine had my maiden name and address from 20 years ago! Luckily I have an unusual first name and they kept looking and eventually found it. Mind you, she was trying to tell me that I was mistaken about my name and address, not them 😁!

I think it's just a weird fluke and seems difficult for them to resolve if there are merged databases.

Hopefully you'll get it resolved soon!

@eurochick I suppose technically there has been a name change because in hospital she would have been on record as "Baby Your-name" and that's the name on any paperwork until you actually go and register your baby.
It seems some GP surgeries do like making a song and dance about something simple 🙁

Yes I asked for a "known as" name weird they wouldn't do it if they are doing it in ops case without her asking or wanting them to.

When I got married, they didn't update my NHS number.

They said I'm still the same person. Same as your son.

My gp surgery updated the name no problem after I showed my passport and marriage certificate.

A child gets a new NHS number when they are adopted, but it makes no sense to say a change of name = new number as a default, as otherwise loads of married women would have new numbers, and they don't.

Speak to the Information Governance team/officer at the hospital where he was born. If I'd read your post right the hospital registered him when he was born? PALS will be able to pass you their details, they should also be on the hospital Trusts website. It's an error on their part not yours. Presumably the GP surgery (primary care) are just picking up the information from the hospital (secondary care). Information governance should help, it is their mistake and yes it would affect him in the future going forward appointments, ID etc not matching say if he registered at a different doctors at uni etc. so it does need sorting.

It’s not hard to change. Surely no different to changing someone who has got married, spelling mistakes etc.

The hospital may have a different computer system, so may need a separate request.

Adoption would be totally different though. Presumably so birth family can't trace. But I'm assuming records move over?