If you are ill while away from home or if you are not registered with a doctor but need to see one, you can receive emergency treatment from the local GP practice as a temporary patient.

You can be registered as a temporary patient for up to three months. This will allow you to be on the local practice list and still remain a patient of your permanent GP.  However this is only for immediate and necessary acute treatment and is not for routine care.  Whilst a temporary patient you will still be expected to get medications from the medical practice where you are permanently registered. After three months you will have to re-register as a permanently register with that practice.

To register as a temporary patient simply contact the local practice which covers the address in which you are temporarily living. . Practices do not have to accept you as a temporary patient although they do have an obligation to offer emergency treatment. You cannot register as a temporary patient at a practice in the town or area where you are already registered.