You can register permanently with some GP surgeries outside your local area.
This can be helpful if you:
- want to use a GP surgery near your work instead of your home
- prefer the services of a GP surgery that's further away
If you need to use a GP surgery for a short time while away from home, you can register with a GP surgery as a temporary resident.
How it works
You can use the Find a GP service to look for GPs in the area you want to register.
When you've chosen a GP surgery, you can use the Find a GP service to see if they're accepting registrations from people outside of their area.
You will then need to fill in a registration form. These are usually available on the surgery's website, or you can pick one up at the surgery. You can also download a Family doctor services registration form (GMS1) from GOV.UK, fill it in and hand it to the surgery.
The surgery will decide if they can accept you as an out of area patient.
Find out more about how to register with a GP surgery
Important
Registering with a GP surgery outside your local area can affect the NHS services that you can access including:
- home visits and urgent care from your GP, including out of hours care
- community services, such as physiotherapy and midwife appointments
Ask your GP to explain any alternative arrangements for these services when you register.