NHS GPs refusing to register

[logiccalls]

Please has anyone any advice? The NHS sites for patients say everyone in the country can register with a GP, without an address or I.D. (or even without proof of right to be in the country). The site for GPs spells out in capitals that the terms of their contract mean that if their list is open, and the potential patient says they are currently living nearby, they MUST allow registration, and must NOT demand these proofs.

The NHS sites even mention that if the patient has no address for health- related mail, the practice address should be given.

But sofa surfers, DV escapers, and those trying to live in mobile homes on wheels or on canals, or precariously housed, find it impossible to get accepted on any list.

Despite showing the receptionists and practice managers the wording from the NHS, there seems to be a universal habit of, in effect, simply ignoring the law and the terms of the GP/NHS contract.

Presumably this will be on the safe assumption the aspirant patient is
completely helpless, and can not enforce the law or the NHS contract terms

There are some specialist 'rule enforcers' but they are with the various migrant charities, so no use to ordinary people wanting primary care..Without a permanent home, nobody can go to CAB, nor to an MP,

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps/how-to-register-with-a-gp-surgery/

It is possible

Try contacting the local health authority before slogging round the different GP practices

The problem is possibly that many of their lists aren't open. They're overrun with patients wanting help.

It's common for GPs surgeries to only be open to people moving into the area from out of area. So if you already live in the area and have a GP somewhere they won't let you switch to their practice instead. The only way to avoid that if you want to switch because you're not happy with your current GP is often to lie, by using a friend's address in another town to register with their GP, then in a few months use your own address to register with a GP in your own town again. You're supposed to have the right to switch surgeries for any reason you want but in reality it doesn't work that way.

If you're refusing to provide details of address, I'll bet they think you're trying to switch. Easiest way would be to use a friend's address.

Failing that, your best bet is to do as previous poster says and go directly to the health board. They can allocate you a GP and the surgery is legally bound to take you on, they have no choice, even if they're already full.

The UK isn't set up for people living transient lifestyles or homeless, it's only really set up for people with a permanent address. Yes there are laws but as you say, try enforcing them, they know if you don't have an address you're unlikely to be able to afford a solicitor. Live anything other than a mainstream lifestyle and you're basically outside of society, unwanted and forgotten. Nobody really cares how you ended up there either, you're just kind of written off as a waste of space. There's nothing quite like falling on hard times to make you realise just how shitty most people are.

Thank you mumsnetters. This was prompted by someone needing to stay under radar, due to stalking, and moving fast without documents. There is no existing photo-I.D., and no medical records or NHS number. There is, as it happens, a right to be in the country and to get NHS treatment. But it seems the organisations of advocates who would champion a migrant would, understandably, not champion someone who is not a migrant.

There are other organisations, but also exclusively for their own intended clients, such as learning disabled, or mentally ill, or addicts, or street homeless.

There's an almost comical twist, where the NHS sites advocate people should "seek advice from their local C.A.B.". Hmm, that requires, you guessed it, proof of living permanently within the catchment area of a C.A.B. 😆

The insistence on a passport plus a permanent address is pretty worrying, for the millions who are 'hidden homeless', sofa surfing, living in vans or houseboats or moving frequently. A radio 4 item mentioned this in passing, then The Times' G.P. said his own practice does accept, and treat, transiting people.

At times, several of the sofa-surfers' hosting friends have tried to fight their own GP receptionists or practice managers, explaining they have someone staying with them, but not permanently, and not with previous GP records or passport ID. In no case are lists entirely closed to new patients, but in no case will they take a new patient who has no permanent address and passport.

Private GPs have urged attention for a possibly serious need, and have suggested if an NHS GP cannot be found, A&E should be used. But an A&E hospital, sufficiently alarmed at the symptoms to take tests, would not disclose results, saying these can only be sent to the patient's NHS GP. 🙄

The option of going to a Trust and asking them to force a GP to accept a patient, will probably fail unless said patient can prove a permanent address, within the Trust area, but also within one particular catchment area.

People can definitely go to Citizens Advice without a permanent home. I used to work for them and we helped NFA people all the time.

The problem you raise is a common one. Surgeries do not seem to want to follow the NHS rules on this. I got round this a couple of times for people by writing to the practice on their behalf on headed paper outlining the rules. But I’m not sure it changed anything procedurally. It’s disgusting as leaves some people without any health service at all.

If you are looking to take up the challenge of trying to change this, I would start with making an official complaint to the ICB, and then to the Parlimejtary and Health Service Ombudsman if you don’t get any joy from the ICB (see link below). I’d also get onto your local MP.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/feedback-and-complaints/complaint/

Thank you very much.

CABs in London say they need ID and proof of permanent address, because they are funded by local taxpayers.
That seems reasonable.

Actually, they apparently in some/most branches have a strictly limited number of conveyor belts, and would not allow any questions even for local home-owners, beyond whatever their system permits. (Maybe benefits, housing, migration?)

ICBs will presumably want a local and permanent address, otherwise the person may count as the responsibility/property of another ICB?
.
And which address would any complaint be centred on, and replied to, if none are permanent?

This would apply to local M.Ps. They are not permitted to deal with someone who might be someone else's property/responsibility/constituent. No passport plus permanent address= no MP= no vote.