Changing Doctors.

Its been so long since I saw a doctor (20 years), hes dead and the surgery moved many years ago and no longer have a record of me.

Trying to register with a new doctor but they wont without my NHS number.

Seem to be going round in circles

Anyone any idea?

Many thanks

Plum

0300 311 22 33 Give them a call they should be able to help

Thank you kindly

Who the heck knows their NHS number? Your new surgery should (I think) just be able to submit your registration and the local authority should be able to get it, if you’ve been registered at a practice in the area you should be on their books somewhere, even if you haven’t been for years. Tell your new practice to pull their finger out! 🙂

Completely agree it should be easy enough to punch into a computer

you would think……………………………….

Are you in England/Wales or Scotland?

England

North London

Moved from Sunny Lancashire

The new practice won’t because you’ve never been registered there before, but the HA should have it, plus details of whichever random surgery you’re ostensibly registered at now.

Sorry, can’t help – in Scotland, it’s called the CHI and I could have told you what to do.

HA is ?

Health Authority?

Yeah, sorry.

GP should just be able to enter your details and perform a PDS (Personal Demographic Service) trace. Basically name, address, DOB etc and it should just find it. Unless you’ve opted out obviously.

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130502102046/http://www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/elearning/pds/flash/supporting%20documents/PDS%20Tracing%20Guidance%20v1.0.pdf

Like you say unless you regularly interact with the NHS you’re unlikely to know your NHS number.

Who the heck knows their NHS number?

I have five little bits of paper with them on in my file… 😕

What I don’t understand is I was given a ‘unique’ number – NI number, yet HMRC now give me another number, NHS another, passport another, driving license another….
(Forgive me for the innocence) – Would it not be easier and better for them them to all use the same one..?

Did this the other day and had to ring my old practice. New practice wouldn’t take forms until I had the NHS number.

You could try your regional office of NHS England.

The GP that you’re registering with can find out though, a call to their CCG should be able to track you down. Lay on the charm with a trowel…

NHS NUMBER

Isn’t it on your birth certificate?

* Between 1969 and July 1995, the old-style NHS number was used on a baby’s birth certificate as the reference number for the certificate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHS_number

Would it not be easier and better for them them to all use the same one..?

It would but the system would require billions of pounds of cost over run and it would be several years late and missing some basic functionality.

If you are not registered with a GP practice, you should do so as soon as possible. They will be able to provide you with your NHS Number once you’re registered.

Off of one of the NHS websites references above – don’t know for sure but I have some confidence they can’t refuse your registration because you don’t know your NHS number.