GP Practice

[TheBoys]

hi

Does anyone have experience of registering with a GP outside their area?

If so - was it worth it?

I am based just on the Herts/North London border.

[CDreamer]

I think you will find that most GP surgeries will have a catchment area - ours certainly has and we only just got in as we live on the border, I know most people in our village go to a different surgery with very differing results.

[meadfoot]

I thought GP surgeries only accepted people living in their catchment area.

[TheBoys in reply to meadfoot]

Hi

The NHS does allow it and some practices are registered to offer it but it’s entirely discretionary.

[opal11uk]

The only knowledge I have is based on years ago and it was simply that the GP have areas and if you are outside of their area they won't take you on their books.

[TheBoys]

hi

Apparently some do take on patents but it’s very tightly managed. I’m at the end of my tether with my practice of 30 years. I can’t even get my medication at the moment.

[Tapanac in reply to TheBoys]

I seem to remember that although GPs only take you if you are in their area, I do know someone who pays for their GP apts outside the area. The difficulty comes if you are taken into hospital as an emergency. The person I knew had moved away now so not sure any more. You could ring surgery of your preferred choice and

All the best

[TheBoys in reply to Tapanac]

Hi

I live in south Hertfordshire and would like to use a practice in Enfield.

I literally yesterday tried to get through but was on phone at 5 pm in queue ( caller number 8 for 45 mins). Every three months I have this and it’s stressful. I m going to write to my hospital and say i am having problems getting my prescriptions and it affects me.

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to TheBoys]

Hi

I see the dr one month and on my way out book a month in advance.

Just wrote to Reception this morning wanting a repeat. They were done at my chemist and I received a text!

Done.

If I do't need the appointment I move it forward! And sometimes it coincides with something - a test at te hospital.

I can write to my Surgeon at the Hospital. I send him articles for my diagnosis. At the moment Thyroid Cancer Return? as I was recalled in my 4th year neck scan.

BE PREPARED says the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides .

cheri JOY. 75. (NZ)

[TheBoys in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

Oh for a straightforward system like that! The U.K. system is so disparate and hard to live with now.

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to TheBoys]

I came over and was working down West in Devon so was under NHS. I've got my card!

I sat in the waiting room.

Met the Dr at Hospital to implant my estrogen capsule under the skin. Jumped on my moped and speed away back to work,

I was a blood donor too. A RH-. Only 10% os us worldwide.

Then the mad cows disease in the 1990s whilst I was there.

Couldn't give blood even here, I got back after 6 years 1997. Just after Lady Diane died in that awful car crash. I did manage to sign my name in the supermarkets remembrance book at Saisbury Exmouth.

I guess thgey were the days.

We have a notice if you are stillwaiting 1/2 hour after your appointment please let us know.

Haven't you got these notices?

cheri jOY. 75. (NZ)

[Tapanac in reply to TheBoys]

Oh that’s awful for you. I have friends who have that problem too. We are luckily thankful we don’t have that problem. We either do a form to ask for doctor to tell a problem and if a problem our gp will usually phone back within about 10 mins or st least that morning to talk on phone or go to see him face to face. If a repeat prescription same form or through the NHS app and chemist deliver next morning or later same afternoon

I do hope things improve for you.

Do at least try the Enfield surgery to see if they will take you

All the best….Pat

[Ilovedogs12 in reply to TheBoys]

Is there a reason why you ring at 5pm? If not I suggest calling at 8am as this is the time appointments for the day are given out. If there's a queue our practice has a ring back system that keeps your place in the queue so no stress.

If I call throughout the day for prescriptions etc my call is answered pretty quickly.

There's probably a lot of people calling at 5pm who have been at work and that might be why it's so busy.

[TheBoys in reply to Ilovedogs12]

Hi

I’ve tried at 8, 9, 11 - all over the show.

Even tried at 11.30 only for it to be cut off at 12 ( lunchtime). I’ve assumed that at 5 the lines might be quieter.

[Ilovedogs12 in reply to TheBoys]

It sounds a nightmare. I'd complain to the manager - you'd probably have to write or go in.So many people in the forum have trouble with their practices, although I must say ours is very good.

Is there no overseeing body for GP practices like Ofcom or something?

[TheBoys in reply to Ilovedogs12]

I dunno about oversight but guess what- after a day of chaos I now have three prescriptions issued by three different people ! So now have a stockpile lol. They are too chaotic.

[Chuyueling in reply to TheBoys]

I don't have any direct experience, but my mum has the same problem with her North Herts/South Cambs practice. I understand the issues and post covid backlogs, regardless, they are spectacularly bad, and mess around with her medication every single month. I have advised her to put in a subject access request and perhaps you could do the same if you haven't already. Get every communication, deleted or otherwise, about you which leads to their decisions to withold or mess about with your meds. They are obliged to provide the information within two weeks I think according to GDPR rules. From this you may fond you have clearer grounds for a formal complaint, or a bit more clout with regards to changing surgeries. I would like her to change too, but she is quite reticent about rocking the boat and bettering the devil, etc.

[TheBoys in reply to Chuyueling]

Hi

Thanks for that. That is extremely useful.

I’ve not wanted to rock the boat but it’s affecting my health now and I don’t need it.

Paul

[TheBoys in reply to Chuyueling]

oh - and at the moment they tell me by text don’t need a review for my meds but equally I can’t get my meds because the system says I need a review. So a long time on the phone coming up this morning!

[Chuyueling in reply to TheBoys]

It makes you think if it isn't the lack of meds that's worsens health it's the insane merry-go-round of trying to get an answer from them that will!

[Maisiemay13]

Do you use the NHS app to order meds ? Some surgeries also let you book an appointment via this service as well

[TheBoys in reply to Maisiemay13]

Hi I use the app yep.., but they’ve disabled that area of functionality.

[Ducky2003 in reply to TheBoys]

I use Patient Access rather than NHS app for my repeat prescriptions, but you'd need to get a code from the surgery to set that up.Have you tried an in person visit to the surgery you want to move to, rather than just trying to ring?

[Vonnegut in reply to Maisiemay13]

And ours usually replies by non reply emails to messages sent on the app and the emails say to look somewhere else ( system online?) for the answers!!

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

I'm in nZ but after treatment of across the road i joined their other clic 40kms away. But was dissatisfied so joined one south by 32 kms. I'm happy there but I will say if something is not right.

I get to do surveys! I voice my opinions one way or other.

Praise where praise is due too.

Try them out if you can.

Cherio jOY. 75. (NZ)

Some of us have more than AF.

[Vonnegut]

I don’t think you can do that- when we moved out of the area which was served by a wonderful group of doctors, we had to change to a different practice which has worsened as my need has increased!! Good luck!

[TheBoys in reply to Vonnegut]

I think you’re right. It’s legally possible but seem to be so many procedural obstacles not least the view that some surgeries might cherrypick patients and some surgeries would collapse if numbers left them.

[Vonnegut in reply to TheBoys]

I didn’t know that about it being legally possible but good luck and hope you manage to register with a good doctor for you. I haven’t seen the dreadful one who I am officially registered with for some time but fortunately there are some decent women docs who pass through and the receptionists and nurses are far more friendly.

[Dudtbin]

i think it used to be if you used a gp practice out of your area they wouldn’t come out on a visit but as they don’t do that now anyway. …. I do know of people here who moved practice ok. Our surgery now has a call back system when there is a queue, its automatic and very efficient and youre not having to listen to how pleased they are that you’ve rung !

[Qualipop]

I changed GP within my area around 30 years ago. It was so simple then and worked mostly well but they all have a specific area and won't see anyone outside that area. We once, in the days when GPs did home visits, had my MIL staying when she had a TIA so we rang our G P. He refused to come out to see her and said we should ring her own GP who of course was out of area and wouldn't come. My present GP has a telephone queue system. If less than 9 in the queue you wait; if more, they call you back which is a nuisance as you don't know how long the wait will be. Yesterday I rang around noon needing to see a doctor. I've had a persistent bad cough for 6 weeks. There were no appointments left but he receptionist said she'd t ext me with one for today. Half an hour later I got a call asking me to go in at 2pm. Can't complain about that. Prescriptions are easy. The chemist phones me a week in advance to remind me t o order which I do on Patient access.. That gives the gP time to sign the script and the chemist time to order everything. They deliver at 10 .30 am on the dot a week later.

[AFnotworked1981234]

My sister who has problems with her GP knows I have no problems with mine and she only lives 5 minutes away from me and she tried to register with my GP and was told she was out of the catchment area! My auntie is registered with the other GP building of mine and she is registered there and sometimes comes to my GP practice to have a blood test and lives 20 minutes away from mine and they let her register