Wahuh and Wahey
I spent nearly an hour on the phone this morning trying to find a way to get my children’s dental and ophthalmic check-ups covered by the NHS without having to register them with a GP 
We’ve been taken off the old GP’s list, because we’re too far away. They suggested a practice about ten minutes from here, but that practice can’t register us because we’re not in their catchment area. Which leaves us with a practice that I don’t want to register with (for a variety of reasons).
The dentist and the opthalmologist need a health service number in order to get paid. Apparently the only way to acquire a health service number is to register with a GP. The oldest three all used to be registered with a GP, so they have health service numbers, but the youngest two have never been registered, so they don’t have numbers.
Therefore you can’t access any NHS services, even if you’re entitled to them, unless you register with a GP. So while registering with a GP isn’t legally required, it’s more or less forced on you anyway 
If I want them to see the dentist or the optician, I’ll have to register them with a GP. No bloody wonder the NHS is always strapped for cash.
Toby’s got a snuffly nose, but has been sleeping lots today - unsurprisingly, since he hardly slept at all yesterday; he was far too interested in looking around him at W5!
Scratchy heard he passed his course though, so the day hasn’t been a total washout 
In: babies, education, family, life, rants and moans
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AFAIK children are issued an NHS number at birth now (atleast my 2 year old was) - so it might be worth checking any medical stuff you have.
However, what’s just occurred is that this happens in hospital, maybe if you had homebirths that might not have happened either.
Hmmmmmm, could you try your local health service admin. place - sorry, can’t think what it’s called, 2 year old has just started screaming at me!
Hope you get it sorted soon!
I think the system may work differently here though; afaik they don’t issued NHS numbers at birth here, but at registration with a GP. Since we never did that, we have absolutely no medical records of any kind for Jack or Toby.
Our local health service admin place is the place I was on the phone with!