How do I register with a GP

Choose the GP surgery that you want to register with and check it covers the area where you live.

You can find a GP near you on NHS Choices.

Registering with a GP surgery

Contact the GP surgery and ask to register with them. They will usually ask you to complete a form called a GMS1 (PDF, 72kb), giving details such as:

  • your name and address
  • your date of birth
  • your NHS number (if you know it)
  • other information, such as the name and address of your previous GP
  • your views on organ donation

Some GP surgeries will also ask to see proof of your identity. For example, they may ask to see:

  • photo identity, such as your passport or driving licence
  • proof of your address, such as a recent council tax bill or utility bill (a gas, electricity, water or phone bill, but not a mobile phone bill)

The GP surgery will send the GMS1 to your local NHS Commissioning Board area team. Your medical records will then be transferred to the new surgery.