Timescale when changing doctor?

Moonmoney

Hi I'm thinking of changing doctor and surgery, does anyone know how long this actually takes? Is it a fairly quick procedure now that we are in the electronic age or are we actually talking about several weeks to transfer health records etc?

Has anyone changed doctors/surgeries recently? And I wonder is the process take different times in different parts of the country? Hmm I know I could ring the surgeries involved however due to circumstances involved I want to know before I start! Thank you all

bylromarha

We moved across the country. We registered with our new doctor and had to have check ups to register. Our records were with the new doctor a week after the check up,.

claire16c

When I moved back from uni I just made an appt in the usual way with my gp. I didnt have to wait for my records to be transferred before I saw anyone.

FBaby

As long as you are within their catchment area and they take on new patients and you have proof of residency it is immediate. They will request your notes themselves but will see you before they receive them.

Moonmoney

Thank you very much bylromarha, claire16c & FBaby. The immediate panic and upset over a service needed every year is over for now and the surgery will be changed so the situation doesn't happen again.

FBaby - I was going to ask does the catchment area mean within a certain distance but I suppose each surgery will decide who they will accept when approached by new patients.

Thanks again x