Catchment area

KACH-muhnt AIR-ree-uh /ˈkætʃmənt ˌeəriə/

Neutral Neutral

What it really means

The local area that a GP surgery covers. Most surgeries only register patients who live inside their catchment area, so check yours on the surgery's website or the NHS website.

Chinese explanation

诊所的服务范围。大多数GP诊所只接收住在其服务范围内的病人，可在诊所官网或NHS官网查询你的地址是否在范围内。

Example conversation

A: Can I register at your surgery? B: What\'s your postcode? We can only register people in our catchment area.

A：我可以在你们诊所注册吗？ B：你的邮编是多少？我们只能接收服务范围内的居民。

What you could say back

“My postcode is... am I in your area?”

Related phrases

Registering with a GP Proof of address

Official sources

Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.

Go deeper

Dentists and Opticians in the UK: Costs, NHS Bands and How to Get Seen How the NHS Works: Where to Go When You Are Ill in England Mental Health Support in the UK: Where to Turn and How It Works

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Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team · Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake