Practice Registration Policy

Forest Health Care complies with NHS England Patient Registration Standard Operating Principles for Primary Medical Care.

Any individual in England may register with a GP without charge. The length of time or reason for the registration will determine the type of registration at the practice e.g. Permanent, temporary or immediately necessary.

All individuals wishing to register with Forest Health Care as a permanent patient will be required to complete a New Patient Registration form.

It is practice policy to request identification from all new patients as this will ensure the correct matching of details to the NHS Central Registry. The practice has a list of examples of acceptable identification. Registration documents will be stored securely in the patient’s paper medical record. The practice will photocopy any identification provided and once the application is successfully processed, they will be securely destroyed.

If an individual is unable to provide any supporting documents upon registration then reasonable exceptions will be considered and the individual will be registered with sensitivity to their situation.

The inability to provide identification will not result in the delay or refusal to register at the practice.

Individuals will be given the option of registering as temporary or immediately necessary if they are residing in the practice area for more than 24 hours but less than 3 months. Individuals will be required to complete a GMS3 form and provide identification. Immediately necessary provision will be for 14 days.

Forest Health Care has a practice boundary and anyone wishing to register as a patient needs to reside within the boundary or for temporary patients be temporarily resident at an address in the practice area.

Any existing patient who moves to an address outside the practice boundary will be required to register at another practice. Homeless or individuals with no fixed abode will be able to register with Forest Health Care, arrangements will need to be put in place to be able to contact the patient with results.

Forest Health Care does not discriminate in the registering of new patients on the grounds of race, gender, social class, age, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, disability or medical condition. Refusal to accept an application to register will not be made without reasonable grounds e.g. the patient lives outside the practice area or the practice list is closed to new patients.

Patients who are not ordinarily resident within the UK upon permanent registration will be provided with a “Visiting the UK?” leaflet. The information on the registration form will be shared with NHS Digital or the Overseas Healthcare Team in respect of secondary care. Any referral to secondary care will be done on clinical grounds alone.

Please take some time to explore our website where you should find lots of useful self-care guidance and information about our services.

If you are over 16, we would like to invite you to book an appointment for a new patient health check. This will include a blood pressure check, height, weight and lifestyle advice.