Moving house but dont want to change my doctor - advice please

gregrichardsgregrichards Posts: 4,913
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Hi everyone

I wondered if anyone had any advice for me, I have had health problems due to my two failed operations last year. I have many specialists but my own GP is really good and has played a vital role in me getting the best care possible.

I'm going to move a wee bit away about 6 miles from where I am now, which is going to take me out of the practice area. I cant afford the houses in my current area but don't want to loose my GP.

Is there anyway that I can keep him as my GP even though I'm moving? I genuinely believe that my care would suffer because he understands my situation. I have had two other GPs before I was ill and they werent as good.

I know that the doctor wouldn't do a house call if I moved but I have never needed to do that. If I explain things to the Health Board would they let me keep him as my GP. I just wanted to ask to see if anyone else has managed to do this.

Thanks.

Comments

  • hobbeshobbes Posts: 6,149
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    I tried to keep my doctor when I moved but they found out and threw me off the practice list.

    I think it is very unlikely that you will be allowed to stay on his list unless it is funded through the same Primary Care Trust. Sorry. I wish you well though.

    Why don't you visit your potential new doctor and explain your fears. You may find the new doctor to be as sympathetic.
  • moogiechompymoogiechompy Posts: 618
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    My partner is a GP, so i've just asked, he has patients in his practice who live 6/7 miles away, and has kept them on for similar reasons, he believes it would be detrimental to their health / recovery at this stage.

    However it would only be the case if your GP surgery agreed to keep you on their books, some won't, and in many cases this is due to the PCT (Health Authority) putting pressure onto practices to limit their lists to their catchment area.

    maybe speak to your GP, explain you are thinking of moving, sound him out to stay in the practice if you moved to the area you are going to and the reasons why, and see what they say :)
  • gregrichardsgregrichards Posts: 4,913
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    Thank you both for your help. I will do whatever I can to not loose my Dr. It's under the same council and county so I am going to try my best.

    I really need to keep him because of the serious situation I'm in but I cant stay with my dad forever.
  • hobbeshobbes Posts: 6,149
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    Thank you both for your help. I will do whatever I can to not loose my Dr. It's under the same council and county so I am going to try my best.

    I really need to keep him because of the serious situation I'm in but I cant stay with my dad forever.


    Well if your dad is willing to forward mail, why tell your GP you are changing address?

    Just be careful not to let slip you have moved in conversation!
  • moogiechompymoogiechompy Posts: 618
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    Dont tell that I said this but....that would work, just be careful not to mention that you have moved and always use your dad's address. ;)

    When you are better and no longer need the support of the GP, then look at changing surgeries, :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 14,815
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    I moved out of my GPs area in 1999, but only by about 2 miles. I desperately wanted to keep her as she was brilliant, and pleaded, and she said that I actually would be living nearer to the practice than some patients who were in the catchment area, and also, even more fortunately, I was moving to within 3 miles of where she actually lived, so she agreed to keep me on, as if she had to do any house calls, it would be closer than going in to the surgery. Sadly, she left a couple of years back, so then I switched to my nearest surgery, which is still 6 miles away!
  • gregrichardsgregrichards Posts: 4,913
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    hobbes wrote:
    Well if your dad is willing to forward mail, why tell your GP you are changing address?

    Just be careful not to let slip you have moved in conversation!

    That would prob work but because I am claiming DLA etc I cant lie about my address. Just need to beg to stay there and appeal to the practice and the health board.
  • daisyboodaisyboo Posts: 11,291
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    i moved from town A to town B (3 miles apart, same council) 12 years ago and moved to doctor in town B.

    i always found them quite good so when i moved back to town A 2 years ago, they said that i could stay on the books.

    i have never had a problem with home visits either and even had the nurse visiting on the weekend and for a whole week when i couldnt make it in for my dressing change due to transport issues :)

    good luck!

    xx
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,890
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    I moved two hours away from my doctor and they didn't have a problem with me staying on their books. Eventually I did switch to a new doctor though.
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    Several years ago I moved a few miles, but chose to stay with my GP. I talked to her about it and she was fine about it.

    A couple of years later, when I was pregnant, she advised me to register with a GP nearer to my new home as she was concerned that the distance (about 5 miles) might cause a problem in providing appropriate care.

    It sounds as if you need to have a chat with your current doctor and see what he/she thinks.
  • MuggsyMuggsy Posts: 19,251
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    That would prob work but because I am claiming DLA etc I cant lie about my address. Just need to beg to stay there and appeal to the practice and the health board.

    Appeal to the GP first. The professional relationship is between you and your GP not between you and the practice. If your GP is willing to keep you on, then s/he will.
  • gregrichardsgregrichards Posts: 4,913
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    Thanks everyone for your advice. I will speak to my GP and see if I can stay and see what I can do.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 13,717
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    I've been with my current GP for over 12 years. I moved over a year ago, but my health issues are really complicated & I didn't want to have to go through it all with a new GP who might not respond as sympathetically as my current one. I've heard people in the surgery come in to advise of a change of address only a couple of miles away if that, only to be told they've got to find a new doctor in that area - they've virtually begged to stay with that surgery, but the receptionist was adamant, so I think it's practice policy not to have people on their books that they don't have to.

    I'm due to have a fair bit of surgery in May of this year, so once I've got over that I'll let my GP know I've moved. The surgery I'm planning to go to is just down the road, whereas the old one is at least 20mins on the bus in average traffic. I'm still in the same borough, so I just have my mail redirected. Make sure you put your old address on any sick certificates or prescriptions you get - I very nearly got that wrong at the beginning. :)
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    Thank you both for your help. I will do whatever I can to not loose my Dr. It's under the same council and county so I am going to try my best.

    I really need to keep him because of the serious situation I'm in but I cant stay with my dad forever.

    If your dad is still in the area why tell your Dr youre moving.

    I left home 9 years ago and am still registered at my original doctors. Ive never told them Ive moved, I have a 20 min drive to get there for an appt but its well worth it.

    I KNOW if I told them Id moved Id be off the list in a flash.
  • gregrichardsgregrichards Posts: 4,913
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    If your dad is still in the area why tell your Dr youre moving.

    I left home 9 years ago and am still registered at my original doctors. Ive never told them Ive moved, I have a 20 min drive to get there for an appt but its well worth it.

    I KNOW if I told them Id moved Id be off the list in a flash.

    I have to tell my Dr I'm moving so that if he has to fill in any forms related to my benefits then all the information is truthful and accurate. If you put any false information that is untruthful the dwp will take it very seriously
  • RadiomaniacRadiomaniac Posts: 43,510
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    My first thought was 'just don't tell them you're moving'. But I can see from your last post that isn't possible, you're right that you need to tell the benefits people the truth.

    How about you have a word with the doctor himself? Don't say anything to the receptionist (they usually think they are higher than the doctor IMO), but speak with him first and see what he suggests.

    I know you don't want this but you have to think what would happen if your doctor himself moved or left! It happened to me. I had the same GP since I was 8 years old and he had just qualified as a doctor then. He was my doctor through everything that ever happened to me until he retired a few years back. So he was my doc for a good 38 years. I had to get used to another doctor as there was no alternative.

    I hope you get to stay. Good luck.
  • gregrichardsgregrichards Posts: 4,913
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    My first thought was 'just don't tell them you're moving'. But I can see from your last post that isn't possible, you're right that you need to tell the benefits people the truth.

    How about you have a word with the doctor himself? Don't say anything to the receptionist (they usually think they are higher than the doctor IMO), but speak with him first and see what he suggests.

    I know you don't want this but you have to think what would happen if your doctor himself moved or left! It happened to me. I had the same GP since I was 8 years old and he had just qualified as a doctor then. He was my doctor through everything that ever happened to me until he retired a few years back. So he was my doc for a good 38 years. I had to get used to another doctor as there was no alternative.

    I hope you get to stay. Good luck.

    Thank you. I will speak to him directly soon. It just really hard to get a good GP. He owns a third of the practice so hopefully he wont be going away and that I will keep being a patient.

    Thanks again everyone for their posts and messages.
  • plateletplatelet Posts: 26,359
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    I live in peterbourough, my doctors in birmingham. I've lived in croydon, milton keynes, and norwich and stayed with the same GP - He's never had a problem as long as I make my annual check ups
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