Viewing 24 posts - 1 through 24 (of 24 total)
  • Are GP's 'Catchment Areas' legally enforceable?
  • Elfinsafety
    Free Member

    Just discovered the practice I was registered with has taken me off their list (without informing me) because I no longer live in their ‘catchment area’. I haven’t, for over 3 years tbh. However, I had an understanding with my GP that I would be kept on there as this would help maintain a level of health care consistency.

    Pretty angry about this, as my GP agreed that me staying registered at that practice was the best option (I receive regular treatment at another clinic which this GP has been instrumental in arranging, and also has the best understanding and relationship with my particular case).

    Seems some office wallah has checked through the files and made a decision based on the ‘rules’, rather than consulting either my GP, or myself. Apparently I now can’t even leave a message for my GP to contact me, as I’m not registered there. Can’t even leave a ‘personal’ message. This is daft, as surely can simply just write a letter to her?

    Can I overturn this, as I can’t find any info suggesting the practice has a legal right to enforce this?

    highclimber
    Free Member

    you were probably costing him too much money.

    BigButSlimmerBloke
    Free Member

    In Scotland – no, and I doubt if it’s any different in the barbaric southlands
    You pick the GP, the new GP has to accept you, that’s about it. I would raise the matter with the practice manager, if that doesn’t work one of the partner GPs

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    meehaja
    Free Member

    I thought this had ended? I’ve been registered with a GP in Leeds for years, despite living in Bradford for the last two years as it was more convenient to see GPs when I was at work (in leeds).

    Elfinsafety
    Free Member

    I thought this had ended?

    So had I. Which is why I’m questioning this decision.

    I understood you could choose a GP/Practice, as BBSB says, and then the GP can decide wether or not to accept you.

    I have just bin told that this is the ‘law’ though, so thought I’d try to find out the actual facts.

    mk1fan
    Free Member

    I think you’ve answered your own question there. It’s the GP’s choice whether they treat you. It would appear that this GP has changed their mind – which you state they are entitled to do.

    Elfinsafety
    Free Member

    Is there a legal requirement for them to be your GP?

    Er, I’d imagine I have a legal right to have a GP, no?

    It would appear that this GP has changed their mind

    Wasn’t the GP that struck me off, it was some non-medical person. As I said above; my GP knew I had moved outside the catchment area but agreed I would stay registered at that practice. She would not strike me off their list.

    1freezingpenguin
    Free Member

    According to the NHS website their is still catchment areas. But I thought they were going to do away with catchments.

    Elfinsafety
    Free Member

    They’re not legally enforceable though, are they? IE, a practice can still have a patient registered even if they live outside of the catchment area.

    I’m now contemplating moving back within the catchment area tbh.

    mk1fan
    Free Member

    You are still assuming that they (the specific Surgery / Practice / GP) legally have to have you as a patient. That would be the starting point.

    From your own research it appears that it is down to the discretion of the Practice whether to have patients outside of their catchment area.

    You probably do have a legal right to a GP, just not a specific one.

    london_lady
    Free Member

    Don’t get me started on this!
    I have been with my GP for about 10years – when I registered I was within the catchment area. I spoke to them about registereing my partner but even though we have have lived at the same address for 10years we are now outside the catchment area so they won’t take him on and I have been told that the doctor will not come out to me if I require a home visit because I am outside of the catchment. At least I have an A&E which is closer than the surgery.

    philconsequence
    Free Member

    i’m registered at 2, yes 2 GP surgeries.

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    Currently you have to be within the catchement area, however this is going to be relaxed when the White Paper on the NHS finally starts taking affect. What date this will be… hopefully within the next 3 years.

    At that point you will be free to choose any GP in the land. However, it might be interesting to see if GP’s will be able to refuse people due to medical history, why would they want to take on a patient who will cost their consortia alot of money!

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    “You can choose which GP surgery you’d like to register with. That GP surgery must accept you unless there are good reasons for not doing so, for example, you live outside the boundaries that it has agreed with the local primary care trust (PCT), or because it has no spaces left. Whatever the reason, the surgery must tell you why. If you can’t register with your preferred GP surgery, the NHS will help you find another one.”

    There you go its the PCT’s that define the boundaries of a surgery. The implication being that the PCT will not fund you if you are outside the boundary.

    docrobster
    Free Member

    A few facts:
    It’s the GP surgery that decides it’s own boundaries, not the PCT.
    If you are are on a particular surgery’s list they have an obligation to visit you at home if needed. If you live miles out of the area this could seriously impact on the service delivered to other patients who do live in the area.
    The govt have talked about getting rid of catchment areas for a while but I very much doubt it will get put into practice.
    We have regular discussions about individual out of area patients in our practice and some gps are more bothered about it than others. In the current climate we need to increase list size to increase income, not the other way round.
    I guess the GP who was arguing your case has perhaps finally given in to the ones who wanted to chuck you off.
    Bad luck but there is nowt you can do.
    You may find that your next GP is even better than your old one?

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    “It’s the GP surgery that decides it’s own boundaries, not the PCT.”

    Ah ok, will have to get the DoH to change their own website…

    docrobster
    Free Member

    Perhaps it would be better to day it’s the GP who decides how the catchment area is policed.
    We would need to obtain the PCTs permission to alter our boundary, and they can’t change it without our say so either, so let’s leave the DOH site as it is.
    PCTs have been in existence how long? Less than 10 years?
    Our practice has existed longer than the nhs. And will still exist when PCTs have been abolished.
    “the boundaries that it has agreed with the local primary care trust” are the ones that were in place before the local PCT existed.

    There is no implication that the PCT won’t fund out of area patients. What gave you that idea?

    Elfinsafety
    Free Member

    Semi-update; it is very doubtful my GP has had any say in this, and is probably actually unaware that I’ve bin de-registred. Other actual medical professionals are now on the case and will be enquiring why this has happened, and requesting that the decision be overturned. I stand a fair chance of being re-registed at that practice. The other medical professionals involved support my argument that consistency of healthcare will be compromised if I cannot continue seeing the same GP. No medical professional has been involved in the decision to strike me off the list.

    The surgery are refusing to take any message from me to my GP, as I’m ‘no longer registered’. The MPs are concerned about this, and are ready to step in on my behalf, which is good.

    Bloody nonsensical.

    docrobster
    Free Member

    I spoke too soon then.
    Sounds like your PCT has been doing a list culling exercise. There has been a fair bit of grumbling about this in the GP trade papers recently. Thankfully still pretty rare. I would think a polite letter addressed to your regular GP would have the best chance of success.
    If our PCT tried a stunt like this we’d be livid. Presumably you are one of many to be de-registered. Pure penny pinching by the PCT. The longer you don’t have a GP the longer they don’t have to pay a GP to provide you with healthcare.

    Stoatsbrother
    Free Member

    What docrobster says. And when you move – you effectively deregister yourself if you go outside a practice area, because you are only registered at the address you gave at registration. Most of us stretch the point reasonably – but I have had patients try and stay registered 150 miles away…

    And a simple point to make about why we might want to chuck people off.

    I work in a semi-rural practice where we have no room to expand. To move to a new building would cost the NHS about £300 per patient we have, and double the running costs. We can provide excellent care to upto 8000 patients – but above that the wheels fall off…

    So if someone moves out of our small semirural town and stays on our list – which elderly person who moves into the town do we tell to register 5 miles away?

    Bottom line – most patient contacts are from children, mothers and retired people who benefit from being registered with a GP close to them. So distance from a surgery is a real issue sometimes.

    Last thing. I never chuck a patient off the list because I don’t like them. Because each time you do that someone even worse walks through the door to replace them…

    Drac
    Full Member

    Elfin I think you have a fair point, clearly I don’t know what condition you’re referring to or need to know, if it’s an on going condition like you say and the GP understands you particular case then good patient continuity is beneficial for you and the NHS. However, there’s probably no legal obligation other than you receive care but even then it can have it’s limits.

    doctornickriviera
    Free Member

    Y[*es they can I’m afraid.

    However it would have been polite to let you know in writing!

    DrP
    Full Member

    I bet it’s something to do with the mohawk and your cheeky attitude…??

    DrP

    mk1fan
    Free Member

    Sounds like good news!

    I too today had a local governmental department be ‘accommodating’ rather than working to the letter of their remit.

    Good days.

Viewing 24 posts - 1 through 24 (of 24 total)

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