Registering with a GP Surgery.

seasonalbiz

I had the same GP surgery for nearly 40yrs... then I moved around quite a bit over the past 5yrs and went through a number of (quite poor) surgerys relative to my then postcodes.

In 2018 I moved back near the area I grew up, and later was surprised to find that the person who owned my house prior - was registered at the surgery I had used for years.  It turns out that although quite a distance via road, as the crow flies I am once again within the catchment area of my original surgery.  I've had some mental health issues on the past so the possibility of seeing my old GP and not having to explain chapter and verse to a stranger (new GP) makes perfect sense.

I went to the surgery and filled out all the paperwork, for only 48hrs later to get a phone call from a lady who introduced herself as the practice manager... she told me I couldn't register with them and I HAD to go to the surgery nearest to me.  When I told her that I was well within the catchment area, she just said no your not because the catchment area on the website is wrong.  When I told her that the person living at my address prior to me was still registered at the surgery, because I had received mail from them to that person - she told me she couldn't discuss other patients information with me.  I didn't bother telling her my reasoning for not wanting to register at my nearest surgery as she was just rude from the off, and I'm not discussing my medical history with a belligerent pen pusher.  (BTW - I had an average attendance of twice annually to that surgery, so its not that I am a nightmare over-user of GP services and they just didn't want to re-register me).

Does anyone know if what the Practice Manager says is the be all and end all?  This was at the beginning of the year, and the website still clearly states that I am within the catchment area.

Thanks for any advise in advance.

sheramber

The catchment area could have changed after the  previous occupier of your house was registered with that surgery. Existing  patients would not be affected . Only new patients coming into the area.


 It would be a practice decision, not the practice manager's decision. She is following the GP's /practice decision.