Registering with a GP
We drew the caller's attention to the NHS guidelines below and the person returned to the GP armed with this information and has since been registered.
NHS guidelines:
"When applying to become a patient there is no regulatory requirement to prove identity, address, immigration status or the provision of an NHS number in order to register. However, there are practical reasons why a practice might need to be assured that people are who they say they are, or to check where they live, so it can help the process if a patient can provide relevant documents. There is however no contractual requirement to request this nor is establishing an individual’s identity the role of General Practice
Any practice that requests documentation regarding a patient’s identity or immigration status must apply the same process for all patients requesting registration.
As there is no requirement under the regulations to produce identity or residence information, the patient MUST be registered on application unless the practice has reasonable grounds to decline. Registration and appointments should not be withheld because a patient does not have the necessary proof of residence or personal identification. Inability by a patient to provide identification or proof of address would not be considered reasonable grounds to refuse to register a patient."
To read the full document please click here
