Named or Usual GP

All registered patients have a usual doctor who is assigned for their care and support. 

Your allocated GP will be responsible for the provision of your healthcare. However, we do operate a pooled GP list which means you may be offered an appointment with a GP who has more availability. If you choose to see another doctor at the surgery you are entirely free to go on doing so.

If you are unsure of who is your usual Doctor please ask at reception.

Patients have the right to express a preference of doctor on their records. However, the practice may not always be able to comply with your request. If this is the case, we will explain why.

What are the responsibilities of the named accountable GP?

The usual GP will take responsibility for the co-ordination of all appropriate services and ensure that they are delivered to each of their patients where required (based on the GP’s clinical judgment) to each of their patients.

The British Medical Association (BMA) advises that the role of the named GP will not:

• Take on vicarious responsibility for the work of other doctors or health professionals
• Take on 24-hour responsibility for the patient, or have to change their working hours
• Imply personal availability for GPs throughout the working week
• Be the only GP or clinician who will provide care to that patient
• If you would like to know who your named GP is, please ask when you next attend the surgery.
• Please note that whenever a GP leaves or joins the partnership, the health authority reallocates the patient lists. It may be that your named GP will change under such circumstances. We are not able to contact patients individually about such changes, but we will publicise any partnership changes and advise patients wishing to know who their named GP is to ask at the surgery.