I’m going to be relocating around 350 miles away from where I currently live. I have long term medical conditions, and I’m currently under the care of various specialists and at various stages in terms of diagnosis and treatment.
Does anybody know what happens when I move? Can my medical care be transferred, or would I have to start again from the bottom of the list?
Also, I’m on a huge amount of medication for the various chronic conditions I have. When I find a new GP, I’m really worried they’re going to run out before I even get chance to speak to them. What happens here? Would my new GP automatically receive my medical records and be able to issue my prescriptions, or do I need to see the new GP to go through what I’m on and why?
If anybody has been through this and can advise, or if you work in the NHS and know the answer, I’d be really grateful for your advice. I am quite worried about it and I’d like to know if there’s anything I need to do to make this work.
Thank you ☺️💖👍🏼
2 comments
You can have your prescriptions forwarded to any pharmacy you want. That will at least buy you time to see a new GP.
The good news about having your records held electronically is that when you do go to a GP in your new location, they can instantly see your treatment records and notes.
I had to get some more meds whilst working away (my appointment had been extended and would have meant I ran out of meds). Popped to the local Walk in Centre in Weymouth, 2 minutes later I had a prescription in my hand.
Also last year, I had to start taking some new meds whilst at work again. Had my surgery send my prescription through to Weymouth Asda for collection. I live in Scunthorpe. Unfortunately I was then sent home because of the new meds (Metformin). Despite having a doctor on that ship, I wasn’t allowed to sail.
Let your consultants know and they (or their registrars or lead nurses) will write to their chosen consultants at your new local hospital.
Consultants just seem to have this network and know people to set you up with, I’ve moved consultant (and area) four times now, one of those times it was still during the investigation period for a now identified long term condition.
Have back ups sorted with medication and any evidence that might help as hard copies or readily available by email. One of the moves, the information did not get transferred across properly and I ended up a pawn between two hospitals, one saying they had sent the referral information ages ago (and then multiple times again) and the other saying they had received nothing. I did have to drive about 90 minutes each way on two occasions to receive treatment at my old hospital as things hadn’t been sorted within a five month period.