Registering with a GP
What it really means
Before you can see a GP, you need to join (register with) a local surgery. It's free, and you should do it soon after arriving — don't wait until you are ill. The NHS website explains how.
Context, tips & common mistakes
A surgery cannot refuse to register you because you lack proof of address, identification or immigration status — NHS guidance is clear that none of these is required, although bringing a document speeds things up. The practical mistake newcomers make is waiting until they are ill: registration can take days to process, and many services (repeat prescriptions, the NHS App, referrals) only work once you are on a practice list. Register in the first week or two after arriving, using the surgery's website or the national online service where offered. If a receptionist wrongly insists on documents you do not have, politely mention the NHS registration guidance or try another practice in your area; you can also complain to the local integrated care board. Students should note that registering near university means seeing a GP at home later usually happens as a temporary patient. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the forms differ but the principle — register early, it is free — is the same.