The doctors and nurses at your local GP surgery are there to support you with a range of new and ongoing health concerns. You will usually have to make an appointment and they are working under enormous pressure at the moment, so you may find that you get the right help sooner by using the options described above.

If your GP practice is closed and you cannot wait until they re-open please use NHS 111.

Register with your GP

Your GP is the first point of contact if you have a health problem. They can treat many conditions and give health advice. They can also refer you to other NHS services. Anyone in Oxfordshire can register with a GP surgery. It's free, and you do not need proof of address or immigration status, ID or an NHS number. 

How to Register 

Find a GP that suits what you need. Some GP surgeries offer more services than others. You can look up GP surgeries to see what they offer and how they compare here. 

You can: 

  • check the GP surgery website to see if you can register online 
  • call or email the GP surgery and ask to be registered as a patient 

You can download a GMS1 registration form on GOV.UK if you're asked to complete one. 

You do not need proof of ID to register with a GP, but it might help if you have one or more of the following: 

  • passport 
  • birth certificate 
  • HC2 certificate 
  • rough sleepers' identity badge 
  • hostel or accommodation registration or mail forwarding letter 

If you're homeless, you can give a temporary address, such as a friend's address or a day centre. 

 

If you need to help 

If you need help registering or filling in forms, call the GP surgery and let them know. 

You could also ask for help from: 

  • local organisations - for example if you're homeless you could ask a centre that supports homeless people 
  • Citizens Advice 
  • your local Healthwatch 

Can a GP surgery refuse to register me? 

A GP surgery can refuse to register you because: 

  • they are not taking any new patients 
  • you live outside the practice boundary and they are not accepting patients from out of their area 
  • you have been removed from that GP surgery register before 
  • it's a long way from your home and you need extra care, for example home visits 

Information: 

If you have problems registering with a GP surgery: 

  • call the NHS England Customer Contact Centre on 0300 311 22 33 
  • contact your local Healthwatch 

 

Changing GP surgeries 

You can change your GP surgery if you need to. 

This might be because: 

  • you have moved 
  • you have had problems with your current practice 
  • you were removed from the patient list 

You should tell the GP surgery if you change address or move out of the area. If you change GP surgeries, you will need to complete the registrations forms and may be invited for a health check conversation with a member of the new practice.