Doctors, after moving house

jezebel

I stayed with my doctor for a few years after moving out of my parents house and was undergoing ongoing treatment, I stayed registered at parents address as I had to go back there when ill. I did tell the doctors, the main issue may be home visits as if you're quite ill they may not be able to come and see you.

On a positive note, can you ask new neighbours or local friends for recommendations for a new doctors surgery?

One of my neighbours recommended surgery I finally moved to and it's good, gave me peace of mind that it was a good one.

I hope you stay very healthy and don't need to worry about seeing doctors

jaylee3

GibbsRule_No3 wrote: »

I would really like to stay with my current doctor now I have moved home, especially as it is near my place of work. Can I request to stay and under what criteria would I be made to move? I very seldom visit the doctor ( touch wood!) and would be happy to sign something saying I would not expect a home visit, it is only a 3.16 mile move.

You can certainly request to stay, but I doubt they will let you. It will ultimately be at the discretion of the practice manager. I guess it depends on how populated your town or village or suburb is.

I have lived in 7 different doctors areas since I was born, and I have never, ever had a doctor let me stay at that practice when I moved out of the catchment area/suburb.

I moved into a different suburb in my town in the early 2000s, just across the border into the other suburb, and even though I was a mile CLOSER to my old doctors than I was in my other house, I was not allowed to stay at the old doctors: I had to join the other surgery, which was 2 miles away from my house! (The one in the other suburb was 1.25 miles away, but I was not allowed to stay because it was just across the border of the next suburb.)

I guess it's all very well saying you are only 3 miles away, but most people could say the same thing, (oh but I am only X amount of miles away...) but they can't let everyone in. If they let one in, when they are not in the catchment area, then they will have to do the same for everyone. It doesn't work like that: they have strict boundary rules: they have to have, otherwise everyone would want to stay with their old doctor. Any special reason why you want to or have to stay with the doctor you are with? They are mostly basically the same.

Presumably if you are only 3 miles away from the doctor you are currently registered with, then surely you will still be near your workplace? Very bad idea also to not tell them you have moved. You will get caught out sooner or later.

esmy

I've been at the same surgery for over 30 years. In that time I've moved 3 times and so has the surgery (now an all singing/dancing health centre). I haven't lived in the catchment area for years but it was agreed I could stay on the basis that as it was a practice with lots of GPs, if a home visit was needed, there was a good chance that at least some would live near me!

I can't remember the last time I went and I think in 30+ years we've had 3 home visits, 2 of these within a week when DD was a baby.

Kryptothesuperdog

I was going to change doctors the next time I needed to go in after moved house.

Its been 9 years and 2 house moves since and I still haven't done nowt about it! Never been near a doctor in over 10 years, touch wood!