Care Opinion

Text size

Theme

Language

Videos in BSL or ISL
Help with language translation
Help with reading or listening

GP practice registration

Posted By Courgette

"GP practice registration"

About: General practices in Greater Glasgow & Clyde

(as the patient),

Frustration about location of GP registration. I have been registered at my GP for the past 12 years or so. I very rarely need to visit the GP but when I do, it's because of an ambulant issue... such as when I had suspected Lyme's disease.

GP practices are open during office hours, so if you work, it's very inconvenient to have to travel home and then back to the office to make an appointment. For me, it would be over an hour round trip of commuting - along with being about 18km of extra cycling in the day.

I had been registered at my GP next to my work because the initial time I visited had been an emergency. They registered me at my work address, and for the past 12 or 13 years, there's been absolutely no problem with that.

In the past few months, I've been going through some surprise hospital treatments. I had appendicitis which subsequently turned out to be an appendix tumour. I had further surgery and thankfully have been given the all clear that it hadn't spread away from my appendix. During this time, I've not been off work other than for surgery in hospital and 2 weeks recovery time. I visited my GP once for advice during these months which again, was in office hours and I walked to my GP from my work.

The thing that has now put a spanner in the works is that the hospital has been sending letters to my GP which have my home address on. The GP admins have noticed this and now removed me from the practice leaving me with no GP.

It seems professionally negligent that, during a time when I've actually got something significant wrong with me, I've been removed from my GP registration. I now don't have a GP and concerned about where my paperwork is being sent around to.

Unfortunately, this seems to be an NHS Scotland issue. I normally feel that NHS Scotland is in a better state than the rest of the UK. But in this case, according to the NHS website, it seems you are able to register near your work in England.

Please, would you push to allow for GP registration near your place of work? It makes sense for a big proportion of healthy working-age adults in Scotland. Thanks.

More about:
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Nicole McInally, Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde last month
Nicole McInally
Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Submitted on 05/06/2025 at 13:34
Published on Care Opinion at 13:38

picture of Nicole McInally

Dear Courgette

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and concerns regarding your GP practice. I’m very sorry to hear about the challenges you've faced, particularly during a time of significant personal health issues. Your frustration is entirely understandable, and I appreciate the thoughtful way you’ve outlined the impact this has had on your care and daily life.

In NHS Scotland, GP practices are required to register patients who reside within their defined catchment areas. This policy is in place to ensure that practices can provide safe and effective care, including the ability to carry out home visits when necessary. While this may not have posed an issue in your case for many years, recent correspondence from the hospital has likely prompted the practice to review your registration status.

I fully acknowledge how disruptive and distressing this must have been—particularly given your recent diagnosis and treatment. Removing a patient from a GP list during a period of ongoing care is not a decision taken lightly, and I regret that this has left you without a registered GP at a critical time.

You can find out how to register with a new GP @

https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/nhs-services/doctors/registering-with-a-gp-practice

Kind Regards

Nicole

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Courgette (the patient)

Thanks for getting back Nicole. I took time out his morning to go to my local GP to get registered. Registration will take 2 weeks at which time I'll be able to book an appointment which is estimated to be a with a month waiting time for a regular appointment. Meaning it'll be 6 weeks until I can be seen.

I understand the need for a GP to be close to patients when they're likely to need a home visit, but this must be quite a small section of patients. I would think if you're someone who's wanting to register near their place of work it's pretty likely you're not going to be someone likely to need a home visit.

Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k