Temporary Patients

Patient living in the UK

If you are temporarily visiting, within the Practice boundary and need the services of a GP Practice, then your own GP Practice are often best placed to continue to provide this as they have access to your medical records and current medication.  They should be able to provide a telephone appointment for you to speak to your GP or another clinician as appropriate and your prescription (if you are resident in England or Wales) can also be sent to any pharmacy you choose by them.

You should also consider calling NHS 111 in the first instance, where they may direct you to an Urgent Care Centre or A&E, that may be more appropriate to your needs.

Should it be necessary to see one of our clinicians face to face then:

• Immediate & Necessary treatment can be provided for up to 14 days. If your treatment or need requires treatment beyond Immediate & Necessary or longer than 14 days, then you will need to register as a Temporary Patient. In both circumstances we will need you to complete the appropriate temporary registration form which can be obtained from any of our sites.
• After 3 months your temporary registration will expire, you will then be required to register as a Permanent Patient if you are still residing within area.
• Where your need is complicated, we may recommend that you register as a Permanent Patient earlier than the 3 months point, so that we have full access to your medical record.  As a minimum we may require a summary of your medical records from your registered GP Practice.
• The ability to refer a patient for further treatment is extremely restricted as a Temporary Patient.
• For ongoing non-essential care, the treatments available from us may be different to those services available in your home area.
• Medication may be restricted or amended as deemed appropriate:
  • Not deemed necessary or could be delayed till your return home.
  • Potential conflicts with current medication used.
  • An alternative to your normal medication may be prescribed.
  • The issuing of Controlled Drugs (CD) will be restricted without full prescribing history. We will not normally consider issuing another CD prescription where we have been advised that it has been lost or stolen, unless you have notified the police and can advise of the incident number.
• Please remember your routine medication is able to continue to be prescribed by your registered GP. Your prescriptions can be sent electronically to a pharmacy of your choice.

Visiting from Overseas

Patients visiting from overseas may be treated under the NHS if regarded as emergency or immediately necessary otherwise they will be treated as private patients.  Fees charged for Immediate & Necessary prescriptions are the same as paid by Practice Patients