If you’ve recently moved house or are planning on moving soon, it’s essential that you go and update your NHS details, including your change of address.
Failing to do so could cause all kinds of problems when it comes to accessing your medical records, booking appointments or ordering prescriptions. It could also result in your personal medical information ending up in the wrong hands.
In this article, we’ll outline all you need to know to update your NHS details when it comes to moving home, as well as how to register with a new General Practitioner (GP).
How Do I Update my NHS Address?
When you move to a new address, you’ll need to remember to update the details that are registered with the NHS. Luckily for you, to change your address with the NHS is very quick and easy.
One way you can notify the NHS of your house move is to contact your GP surgery and simply ask them to update your details for you. They will update your NHS address and these changes will automatically appear in the app.
However, it’s important to remember that the NHS isn’t the only service you’ll need to inform when moving house – all your other accounts, providers and institutions need to know too!
Using SlothMove’s online change of address service, you can complete your NHS change of address at the same time as notifying everyone else too.
How Do I Log Into my NHS Account?
Once you’ve changed your NHS details, they should automatically update in your account and in the app. But, how do you log into your NHS account?
When you first want to use a health and care website, app or service you should be asked to create an NHS login. To set this up, you will need an email address and a mobile phone number.
When you come to log into the app with your NHS login email and password, you’ll be sent a security code to your mobile. You’ll need to use this code to log in.
How Can I Access My NHS Health Record?
Your NHS health record includes information about your medicine, allergies, vaccinations, previous illnesses and test results, hospital discharge summaries, appointment and referral letters.
You can access your NHS records online or through your GP.
To access your health records online, you’ll need to register for GP online services. This is a 3-step process that usually takes between 30 minutes to a couple of hours.
Do I Have to Change GP if I Move House?
So, now we know how to update your NHS details, will you need to register with a new GP after moving home?
It depends where you’re moving to.
If you’re moving within the catchment area of your current GP, you don’t necessarily need to register with a new doctor. In this case, you should ask your GP if they would be willing to continue treating you at your new address. However, make sure to complete your NHS change of address.
A GP can also continue to treat you if you move outside of their catchment area, but they will have to assure the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) that they are happy to do so.
How Do I Register with a New GP When Moving House?
If it is the case that you’re moving out of your current GPs catchment area, you’ll need to know how to register with a new doctor’s surgery.
If you already have an idea of which GP you want to register with, and they are able to accept you as a new patient, then having a GP change of address is fairly easy.
All you need to do is choose GP surgery in your new area and ask them for a registration form. Simply fill out the form and hand it back to the doctors.
Your new GP will then arrange for your NHS records to be transferred over from your old doctors.
How Long Does it Take to Register with a GP?
Many people are often surprised at how quick and easy registering with a new GP is when moving house.
Changing your gp takes approximately seven working days to complete, as long as all your registration forms and identification documents have been submitted correctly.
Usually, however, requests to register with a new GP are considered high priority and, in many cases, your NHS records could have been transferred within just two days.
How Do I Change my GP on the NHS App?
If you want an even quicker way of switching GP, you can do so through the NHS app.
If you move doctors, and they offer Patient Access, you can obtain a linkage document (registration letter) from your new practice. This allows you to link your existing Patient Access account with your new surgery.
All you need to do is:
- Sign into your Patient Access account
- Select Account
- Select the My GP Practice screen
- Select Change my GP Practice
- Select Link to my new GP practice
- Enter the practice code or name of your new practice
- Select your new practice from the list provided
- You will be asked ‘Have you received a registration letter from your practice?’, select yes
- Enter the Linkage Key (on the linkage document)
- Enter the Account ID (on the linkage document)
- Confirm your personal details, then select Continue
- Enter your password, then select Link account
- Select Done
Now, your account has been linked to your new GP practice – it’s as simple as that.
Can I See a GP Without Being Registered?
If you don’t register with a GP when you move home, you will not be able to see a doctor unless it is a serious emergency.
If you do have an emergency and need to see a doctor, you will have to complete a temporary registration form to be treated.
So, it is definitely not a good idea to skip the process of registering with a GP, regardless of whether you’re moving house or not.