If you are already registered with us and live outside out catchment area, you are welcome to remain registered with us so long as you are aware that we cannot offer home visits and some community services. You DO NOT have to take any further action.
We are reviewing patients who are registered at the practice as an ‘out of area’ (OOA) patient and note you live at an address outside the practice catchment area. As explained to you on registration, we do allow such patients to register with us but there are some exceptions and restrictions to the service we provide.
Urgent Care and home visits:
If you are unwell and unable to attend the GP surgery, we will not be able to visit you at home. The practice may ask you to contact NHS 111 to direct you to a more appropriate local service.
Patients needing input from a specialist team who are geographically located according to their home, not their GP address:
This includes patients requiring the following services: District nurse services, Health visiting services, Community mental health services, Adults and children with complex community- based packages of care or safeguarding needs that require local coordinated MDT services that would be difficult to organise with an out-of–area GP. (Please note this list is not exhaustive)
Referrals:
Sometimes there are restrictions as to how and where we can refer you as some referral options are based on your home address. There may be times a referral will be rejected simply based on your home address which is out of our control. In such cases, it may be better to join a GP practice closer to home to avoid any possible delays to any treatment
Ensuring all patients who register with us receive timely and appropriate care is important to us at Wilmslow health centre. Please note, if you are registered with us, you must agree to attend any ‘review’ appointments. You will be invited at least 3 times a year, if applicable, for a review of your medical condition (asthma, diabetes etc.) or if eligible flu vaccine, smear test etc. If you fail to attend an appointment for these reviews following your third invite, we may remove you from the practice list and advised you to register to a GP practice to your home address.
OOA patients are reviewed regularly and on an ad hoc basis by the surgery. In case your health needs change, we may review your registration to see if it would be more appropriate for you to be registered with a GP closer to your home to receive safer and more timely care.
Having read the above information, please consider whether Wilmslow Health Centre is still appropriate for your healthcare needs. If you are already registered and want to remain registered with us, you DO NOT have to take any further action.
FAQs
1) What happens initially after I join the practice as an out of area patient or change my address which is out of area?
Over the first few weeks a doctor will review your notes. If newly registered, it may take longer for us to review them as there maybe a delay in receiving your previous medical records. If the doctor assesses that you (or any member of your family (under 16 years) are not suitable to stay on as an out of area patient at Wilmslow Health Centre, we will send you a letter to let you know. We will also inform you by text message if we hold a mobile number for you on our records. We will then start proceedings to remove you (and your family, if applicable) from the practice which normally takes 30 days. This should give you enough time to register with another GP practice. We only remove you if we feel that your care will be restricted and it would be best for you to be registered closer to home.
Until you hear from us otherwise, you can stay registered with us as an OOA patient. If you move back within our catchment area, please let us know your new address as soon as possible so we can then register you as a regular patient without any restrictions.
2) Why do I have to be registered as an out of area patient; why can I not be registered as a regular patient?
All GP surgeries across the UK, agree their catchment area with their local ICB, which indicates how far they are able to provide safely home visits and urgent treatment for their patients, which is also our case. While we endeavour to provide care to as many patients as possible we cannot safely offer home visits or urgent treatment for patients beyond our catchment area. This is why we need to register patients living outside of our catchment areas, as out-of-area patients.
3) What if I move back into the catchment area, after being registered as out of area?
Simply complete the Change of Contact Details form, above. If accepted, we will then re-register you as a regular patient. Then the above rules will no longer apply to you.
4) What if I do not agree to out of area restrictions?
We do not have to accept patients that live outside of our catchment area, but we are allowed to, if it is safe to do so and in the patient’s best interest. The restrictions are in place are set by NHS England and local ICB.
If you do not agree, you simply need to register to a GP closer to your home address to get the full benefits of a GP service which they can offer to you within their catchment area.
If you need help in finding a local GP practice, you can access the NHS Choices website or telephone NHS 111 which can provide details of local NHS services to your address.
5) What if I develop one of the exclusions above whilst registered as an out of area patient?
A doctor reviews OOA patients on a regular basis, and on an ADHOC patient by patient basis.
If they notice you are fall under any of the exclusions, we will regrettable have to remove you from our list and you will need to register with a GP practice closer to home.
We do not remove out of area patients without a valid reason, if we have to it’s because it is for your safety to ensure you get the full and safe care a GP service can offer you.
You will be notified and given 30 days to find a different GP surgery, which by the end of the 30 days, you no longer be a patient at Wilmslow Health Centre.
6) What if I have children under 16 years old and I am removed, can they stay registered?
No, the children will also be deducted, as children under the age of 16 need to be registered with their parent/guardian. Also, we cannot accept an out of area registration or accept to keep you registered, if the family has a child/ren under 16 years old.
7) What if I live just outside the boundary of the practice catchment area?
You will still be registered as an out of area patient, and the above restrictions will still apply, or you will be asked to register closer to your home address.