Registering as a temporary patient

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 for 14 days. After 14 days you will need to register as a temporary or permanent patient.

You can be registered as a temporary patient for up to three months. This will allow you to be on the local practice and still remain a patient of your permanent GP. After three months you will have to re-register as a temporary patient or permanently register with that practice.

To register as a temporary patient simply contact the local practice you wish to use. 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.

Download the Temporary Resident Registration Form.

Temporary Registration Form

Statement of Fitness for Work – 'Fit Note'

The ‘Fit Note’ was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer’s support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the Government website (where this information was sourced).

Please note that sickness certificates (also known as MED3) cannot be produced in advance or forward dated. In other words, if you have already had a sick note and need a further one, we cannot produce these until the day they run out or later. They can however be back dated where appropriate.