GP Surgeries in the UK

Finding a GP surgery in the UK

A GP surgery is where NHS care starts: the general practitioners, nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists who see you first, treat most things, prescribe, refer to hospital and run the vaccinations, screening and long-term condition checks. You register with one practice, usually the one whose catchment area covers your address, and it holds your record; you can change practice at any time by registering with another, and since 2015 practices may accept patients from outside their area at their discretion. Registration is free, needs no proof of address or immigration status, and can be done online for most practices.

Practices differ more than their NHS sign suggests: how appointments are booked — the eight o'clock phone queue, an online form triaged by a doctor, or the NHS App — how long the wait for a routine appointment is, whether the same doctor can be seen, the hours and the extended-access evenings and weekends, the pharmacy and services on site, and the patient survey results and Care Quality Commission rating that are published for every practice. Out of hours, NHS 111 and the urgent care centres cover; community pharmacies now treat minor conditions and prescribe for some without an appointment; and private GPs offer same-day appointments for a fee.

The listings here show each surgery's hours, services, appointment systems, patient ratings and contact details, so you can see which practices cover your address, how each one books, and where people in your town are happy with their doctor.

What GP surgeries provide

Appointments: with GPs, nurses, practice pharmacists, physiotherapists and mental health practitioners, in person, by phone or video, urgent and routine.

Prescriptions and repeats: prescribing, repeat prescriptions ordered online or through the NHS App, and medication reviews.

Preventive care: vaccinations and flu jabs, cervical, bowel and breast screening, health checks, and the annual reviews for diabetes, asthma, heart disease and other long-term conditions.

Referrals and results: referrals to hospital specialists, blood tests and results, fit notes, and letters and forms.

Extended access: evening and weekend appointments through the practice's network, and online consultation forms triaged the same day.

Registering and using a GP surgery

• Check the practice's catchment area on its website or the NHS site, and register online; no proof of address is required.
• Read the appointment system before choosing: phone at eight, online form, or the NHS App, and how urgent requests are handled.
• Look at the patient survey results and the CQC rating for each practice; both are public.
• Download the NHS App to book, order repeats and see your record once registered.
• For minor illnesses, try the pharmacy first; Pharmacy First treats and prescribes for several conditions without an appointment.
• Out of hours, ring 111 or use 111 online; for emergencies, 999 or A&E.

NHS and private GP costs

NHS GP care is free at the point of use, with prescriptions charged at £9.90 an item in England and free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and for many groups; letters, forms and some certificates carry private fees of £20 to £100 set by the practice. Private GPs charge £60 to £120 for a 15-minute appointment and £120 to £250 for 30 minutes, with tests, prescriptions and referrals extra; some private practices offer memberships at £20 to £60 a month, and many private GPs are NHS doctors working extra sessions.

A private appointment for the thing that will not wait, and the NHS practice for everything else, is how a growing number of people use both.