Moved house - do we have to move GP too?

[DurtySarf]

Hi

Hoping someone on MN can advise.

We have recently moved home. Our new address is just outside the catchment of our current GP (about two minutes' drive, if that). But still in the same (London) borough and we would still be covered by the same out of hours service as all the other local practices.

Will we be forced to register at a new practice? We want to stay with the current one.

Thank you.

Yes if you aren't in the catchment you won't be able to go to the GP practice, whenever they get wind of new address (e.g. if you attended an out of hours or such) they will likely send a letter with your NHS card and details of your new local GP practice.

I would Phone and ask the surgery if I were you. They will be able to tell you what to do

Thank you. I will call the surgery tomorrow and see what they say.

Phone up or pop in and inquire especially if specialist services are used and they may make a case for you staying.

Scotland is different from England in this regard as long as doctors are within 10 miles of house your fine.

It's up to the GP surgery - why not ask them. When I moved into a different area (10 miles away), I asked my GP and he told me he was happy to keep me on his books despite not being in the catchment area.

Not sure about London. We moved out of the practice catchment in Devon and stayed at the same gp. We're not entitled to home visits now but nothing else has changed.

Is there any info on your surgery website?

My GP surgery made me switch at 37 weeks pregnant because I moved house. I was trying to keep it secret from them so I could continue to go to my last couple of midwife appointments but they found out because I had to tell my health visitor my new address.

Luckily my baby came at 38 weeks so I didn't need my last midwife appointment and my new GPs is much better but I couldn't believe they did it at the time.

It might be ok if you're in the same borough because they will be funded by the same PCT

My old practice has a catchment for new patients but existing patients can stay with them if they move, as long as they stay within the same postcode area

Thank you for all your replies.

tenbob that's what I am hoping!

I moved just a few minutes walk from where I had been living but was out of catchment. I was made to register with a different doctor, though fortunately they did allow me to delay until the treatment for a specific issue was completed.