Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Original poster

Why does my baby have to be registered at the same GP as me?

59 replies

Sheila4327 · 19/04/2023 19:02

Hi,

Without going into detail I am registered with a GP from my mum's address as my mental health team are there and I don't want to change my mental health team (I have a large mental health history) I am living with the father in another area and registered the baby with a practice in that area. I got a text from my GP (my area) saying they have booked my child in for immunisations. I called them and explained my baby is registered at a different GP to me. They said they won't accept me if my child is at a different GP... I explained the baby's GP didn't have an issue with this. But they were adamant I have to register my baby at their one. It complicates things as then the health visitor changes to my old address (which I can still access as my mum lives there).

Why is this a thing? Why can't we be registered at different GPs?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Justalittlebitduckling · 19/04/2023 20:57

I think an example would be my son got a nasty black eye from an accident some time ago. When I took him to the doctor, the doctor segued into asking me about my mental health, my partner, my relationship with my partner etc. If I wasn’t a patient I guess he couldn’t have done this? He was clearly building up a whole picture of the family.

Sugarfree23 · 19/04/2023 20:59

HV is triggered by the baby but they also look out for mums. So I guess it makes sense that they prefer mum and kids to be in the same practice.

Simonjt · 19/04/2023 21:04

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 19/04/2023 20:15

Silly question time (for which I apologise). But what if the mum had died during/soon after birth? The baby would be registered where? At the dads surgery? Grandparents surgery? Deceased mum surgery? I don’t see an argument for safeguarding if a relation (parent/grandparent) or guardian (foster/adoptive parent etc) is registered alongside the baby and has any relative paperwork to prove their connection at registration.

Our daughter was under 12 months when her adoption order was granted, me and my husband are registered with different GP surgeries, both refused to register her under 12 months as neither would be her non-existent mothers surgeries.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General health General parenting
wordler · 19/04/2023 21:06

But in the case the baby is registered at a different practice. The mother has proof of this. It’s her own practice who she is already registered with - why should her medical care not just continue as it is.

In the US a lot of people register their children with a pediatrician and the baby never sees the ‘family’ GP.

I don’t understand the safe guarding argument at all.

wordler · 19/04/2023 21:08

Sorry that should read it’s her own practice which is threatening to dump her if she doesn’t register the baby too. She can prove the baby has medical care somewhere else.

Hiddenvoice · 19/04/2023 21:11

It’s for safeguarding reasons. Most practises would like to keep the family together so usually will allow the dad to move practice if he wants to but they like to have mum and baby together.

I moved doctors as mine were not great, I registered my baby at another one and was then able to register myself. It’s been really handy having us both together, much easier to get appointments

Wenfy · 19/04/2023 21:12

When I was receiving pnd treatment a long time ago now, I was told it was for safeguarding reasons to ensure any abuse was picked up quickly. I was distraught because I’d never hurt my dd but in hindsight I’m grateful - it really helped me to get top quality breastfeeding support.

queenatom · 19/04/2023 21:28

My husband and I are registered at different GPs - he is registered at the one round the corner from our house, I still see one near where we used to live (for continuity of care reasons). When my son was born he was automatically registered at my GP but we switched him to my husband's GP at around 3 months as more convenient and no-one had any issues with this. I'm not sure what would happen if we tried to register him somewhere where neither of us were registered.

AnneLovesGilbert · 19/04/2023 21:39

I’ve got a newborn and spent ages registering him with our surgery the other night, would that have happened automatically if I hadn’t bothered? I definitely had to register DD several years ago and it was all on paper then but it may have changed. I also called to book the 6 week check up and was told they’d contact me so maybe they did already know about him.

At ours where the father is registered is irrelevant. And the HV isn’t connected to the surgery, neither are midwives. To quote the receptionist, the surgery “doesn’t do pregnancy”.

My GP never had it to hand that I breastfed and prescribed antibiotics I couldn’t use before I told her. She also never remembered I was pregnant the second time when I had a couple of non related issues. She’s got a lot on.

321user123 · 19/04/2023 21:40

amarante · 19/04/2023 20:06

Absolutely safeguarding- I am a Practice Manager.

Can you give examples?
To me it sounds like it’s about money for the surgery 🤷🏼‍♀️

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 19/04/2023 21:44

Simonjt · 19/04/2023 21:04

Our daughter was under 12 months when her adoption order was granted, me and my husband are registered with different GP surgeries, both refused to register her under 12 months as neither would be her non-existent mothers surgeries.

Show quote history

So what were you supposed to do for her medical care?

Cattenberg · 19/04/2023 21:46

I wanted to stay at my current GP surgery, which is near my work, as my GP knew my MH history so well.

But I needed to move DD to the surgery near her school for various reasons, including my surgery being extremely short-staffed. The new surgery wouldn’t take DD unless I transferred too (but couldn’t explain why!) So I moved, but feel quite sad about it.

321user123 · 19/04/2023 21:49

Simonjt · 19/04/2023 21:04

Our daughter was under 12 months when her adoption order was granted, me and my husband are registered with different GP surgeries, both refused to register her under 12 months as neither would be her non-existent mothers surgeries.

Show quote history

FFS. See, it makes no sense!
How stressful that must have been.

So what happened when you needed the doctor?

Mariposa26 · 19/04/2023 21:52

I am having this exact issue and am sad about it, I use the online GP at Hand which is so convenient and amazing, but the in person appointments are only in central London so it makes sense for me to register the baby with a local practice rather than needing to take her a long way if needed. Feeling sad I will lose access to quick appointments and prescriptions and be back in the system of barely being able to book a smear test. I understand if it’s for safeguarding but it is just so frustrating.

InTheFutilityRoomEatingBiscuits · 19/04/2023 21:58

Our old GP surgery wouldn’t give baby vaccinations because her mother wasn’t present (me). I was at work. She was taken for her vaccinations by her Dad instead (SAHD). Who had been registered with that surgery since his own birth and had parental responsibility. They wouldn’t even accept talking to me on the phone, because I “could be anyone”. I had only been registered there for 10 years so clearly just a random off the street. The sexism is real.

Reugny · 19/04/2023 22:37

AnneLovesGilbert · 19/04/2023 21:39

I’ve got a newborn and spent ages registering him with our surgery the other night, would that have happened automatically if I hadn’t bothered? I definitely had to register DD several years ago and it was all on paper then but it may have changed. I also called to book the 6 week check up and was told they’d contact me so maybe they did already know about him.

At ours where the father is registered is irrelevant. And the HV isn’t connected to the surgery, neither are midwives. To quote the receptionist, the surgery “doesn’t do pregnancy”.

My GP never had it to hand that I breastfed and prescribed antibiotics I couldn’t use before I told her. She also never remembered I was pregnant the second time when I had a couple of non related issues. She’s got a lot on.

My DD was automatically registered with my GPs Surgery.

The midwives and HV are separate. So when my DD had vaccinations I kept getting letters from the HV team asking me to up date them about my DD vaccinations. The letters only had a telephone number on it which was always engaged on the one day I tried ringing about 6 times. So I started putting the letters in the shredder pile.

Reugny · 19/04/2023 22:40

InTheFutilityRoomEatingBiscuits · 19/04/2023 21:58

Our old GP surgery wouldn’t give baby vaccinations because her mother wasn’t present (me). I was at work. She was taken for her vaccinations by her Dad instead (SAHD). Who had been registered with that surgery since his own birth and had parental responsibility. They wouldn’t even accept talking to me on the phone, because I “could be anyone”. I had only been registered there for 10 years so clearly just a random off the street. The sexism is real.

Both my DP and our male friends have been asked why they were taking their DC to get their vaccinations in a patronising manner.

In all cases it was because the DC's mothers were working and they were the ones available.

Zola1 · 19/04/2023 22:45

Kids in care are registered at different GPs to their parents all the time.. same for kids living with family members. So it can be done but I assume for safeguarding and practical purposes it's best to keep you together

Reugny · 19/04/2023 22:46

Zola1 · 19/04/2023 22:45

Kids in care are registered at different GPs to their parents all the time.. same for kids living with family members. So it can be done but I assume for safeguarding and practical purposes it's best to keep you together

What about babies under 12 months who have been adopted? Especially when there is no mum?

Weallgottachangesometime · 19/04/2023 22:50

I never realised this was a thing. I suppose it makes sense to have a neutral/automatic position of registering the baby at the same GP as the mother, especially since both will need care in the weeks post birth. However you wouldn’t think they would make it so hard to alter if a father could prove they had PR or adoptive parents could prove Adoption.

Riverlee · 19/04/2023 22:51

Gps have catchment areas, so by disclosing you now live in a different area may have done you a disservice. The surgery can remove you from their books. However, they can use their discretion and keep you on.

If they do remove you, under patient choice I believe you can choose where you have treatment so can keep the same mental health team.

Onlinecaroline · 20/04/2023 00:10

We’ve had exactly the same issue. I’m currently registered at my GP’s from my mums address and she to post natal care taking place my GP is keen I don’t move practice yet (blood pressure issues and an infected c section.)

when we tried to register DD at husbands GP he was flat out refused. Told the mother has to register. When we returned as a family to plead our case and were told it was no problem to register the baby. It’s madness

BeeCucumber · 20/04/2023 00:30

My DS and DIL moved house to a different catchment area but stayed with their GP. When they had their DD, she was registered with the local GP with no issue.

LadyJ2023 · 20/04/2023 00:43

You shouldn't be attached to a wrong address either you can get fines these days if your info is incorrect and your not at the right drs in your catchment area. I had to move drs and mental health team recently and tbh there just as nice and I can still take my mam

Blanketpolicy · 20/04/2023 00:51

Makes absolute sense for lots of reasons, especially safeguarding, for dc to be registered at the resident parents or mothers GP when newborn (as their health is more closely linked).