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Anybody who lives within the Practice Area is welcome to join our list, and access the full range of services at the Health Centre. If someone is moving into the village from a district that is close to, but not part of the Practice Area, There is no problem with them staying with their previous Doctor if they prefer. This does depend on the new address still being within the previous Doctor's area.
There is no restriction on who can join apart from where they live. Such things as age, complex health needs, treatment with expensive drugs or multiple problems are not taken into account when a patient registers. For new patients joining our list we do have to be strict about our boundaries, and we can not accept registration from addresses outside of the area. MAP OF PRACTICE AREA
Difficulties can arise where someone may live in another part of the country but is working near Farndon or Holt. There is an absolute bar on patients being fully registered with more than one GP. ( This is a national rule) For this sort of situation there is provision for the person to register as a "Temporary resident" . They are then treated as any other patient and can access the full range of local services whilst they are in the area. A temporary registration can last up to three months, if the person is going to be in the area for longer than three months then they should fully register. They can then re-register with their former practice as and when they return home. When the three month period is up then the temporary medical record is forwarded on to the patient's registered GP to be incorporated with the rest of the medical records. The record can be sent sooner provided that we are notified that ther patient is moving back.
The same temporary resident registration is also used by people staying in the area for up to three months. The commonist circumstances are for families on holiday in the area, and for Students away from home at University. University medical practices normally ask for students to fully register with the University practice (even though the terms are under three months duration) for the duration of their 3 or 4 years at University. If a student needs to see a Doctor whilst they are at home during the holidays, then they should register as a temporary resident with our practice.
This may not seem the best arrangement at first glance, but overall is probably the best way around. Students can not be fully registered at both practices and university practices are set up to accommodate the health needs of young adults, being available when the students are not attending lectures, and with adequate availability of the services needed by younger people. There is little demand for Geriatric Care at University Health Centers, however providing adequate family planning services, and easily available and user-friendly advice and help with regards to sexually transmitted diseases takes time and training by the Doctors and Nurses. University practices have this expertise and the facilities to cope with the number of young patients. They are also particularly set up to cope with the psychological problems of being away from home, often for the first time, being away from normal friends girlfriends / boyfriends and of having to be able to look after themselves without Mum looking over their shoulder.
Universities are unfortunately no strangers to the drug and alcohol problems that are so common in the student age group, however University Medical Practices have the resources available to manage these problem effectively. This is very different to normal General Practices.
Immediatly Necessary Treatment
This arrangement is similar to temporary registration but it is for people who are just passing through the area and will be here for less than 24 hours. If the stay has to be longer than this then thay must make a temporary registration. The record of the emergency treatment is sent to the registered GP.