How to book a doctor's appointment with the NHS

The National Health Service (NHS) consists of thousands of General Practitioner (GP) surgeries, hospitals, pharmacies, and community services. It can often be complex to navigate especially if you are unaware of the right place to go.

What sort of care do you need?

Pharmacies provide quick advice for many common ailments. For serious and highly urgent care, you can always attend an Emergency Department (located within major hospitals). Community providers and hospitals help provide complex ongoing care.

GP surgeries provide the majority of healthcare across the country to patients with immediate (acute) needs and managing ongoing health problems.

How to book a GP Appointment?

If you are already registered with a GP surgery, you can contact them to request an appointment.

However, you are free to change your GP surgery at any time. You might want to register with a new GP surgery if you:

• are not currently registered with a GP
• have moved house since you were last registered with a GP
• are not happy with your current GP surgery (e.g. you can't get an appointment)

You can easily register and book with a new GP surgery using Bookable. You will need to register at one of these GP surgeries to access these appointments. This will take about 10 minutes to complete and is free to use.

Once you register at a new GP surgery, your care will be moved to this GP Practice and your full medical record will be automatically transferred. You'll be deregistered from your current GP surgery.