There’s no doubt that moving home can be incredibly stressful, so completing your NHS medical card change of address might not be at the top of your to-do list.
However, remembering to change your address on your NHS medical card before you move house is essential. If you fail to update your medical card details, it could cause all kinds of problems when GP or hospital staff try to find you on their records.
NHS institutions use your NHS medical card and number to find you on their systems and to prove your identity. So, if you fail to complete your NHS medical card change of address, you could have trouble accessing your NHS records.
So, to help you change your NHS medical card address, we’ve put together this handy guide. We’ll outline everything you need to know about changing your address on your NHS medical card.
Contacting each and every service or provider to notify them that you’re moving house can seem like a chore.
However, there’s no need to worry – SlothMove’s online change of address service lets you update your details with all your accounts at the same time!
That’s right! You can inform them all that you’re moving house in a matter of minutes. Say goodbye to endless phone calls and mind-numbing hold music.
With SlothMove, you can change your medical card address, and all your other providers, in a few simple clicks.
Follow these simple steps to get started with your NHS medical card change of address online:
STEP 1
Select who needs to know you're moving Penfold, HMRC, Council Tax etc.,,,
STEP 2
Enter your previous address, new address and the date you moved home
STEP 3
Click submit and we'll update your address with accounts automatically
As soon as you’ve provided us with all the essential details, including your previous address, new address and moving date, we’ll get to work notifying all your providers of your change of address, including on your NHS medical card.
Start changing your address on your NHS medical card by clicking below 👇
Take the hassle and stress out of your move and update your address with hundreds of companies, including your NHS Medical Card
Marishka Morris
“An amazing website to help make this side of your move less stressful as it covers so many different accounts and things you may not think of updating.. the time it saves too not having to update everything separately, it really is absolutely worth checking out. Highly recommended for any movers!”
We’re going to talk you through, step-by-step, how to change your NHS medical card details.
By far the easiest way of completing your NHS medical card change of address is using SlothMove’s award-winning moving home plaform.
To change your medical card address, we just need a little more info…
Alternatively, if you’re only looking to complete your NHS medical card address and no others, you can do so by contacting your GP directly.
If you are moving locally, you will need to contact your local GP practice and notify them of your new address. A staff member will then ask you to complete your details on a GMS1 form, which will allow them to update your NHS records. At this point, they will ask you for your previous NHS medical card or your unique NHS number. Once the change of address has been made, your GP will send you a new medical card.
If you’re moving a little further afield and changing doctors, you will need to let your previous practice know that you’re leaving and register with a new GP surgery. When you call up to register with a new doctors practice, they will ask you for your NHS medical card or your NHS number to input your up-to-date details on the system and send you a new card.
The NHS issues residents an NHS medical card upon registration with their local health centre. It gives your doctor details of your full medical history, as well as personal details like your name, address, the doctor with whom you’re registered and your unique NHS number.
Your NHS number is unique to you. Using your NHS medical card to identify you correctly contributes to improving the safety of your healthcare. If you know your NHS number, or can show your medical card, you can help healthcare staff find your NHS records more easily and share them safely with others who are caring for you.
Whether you move within a local area or move nationally, it is essential that you complete your NHS medical card change of address so that they can keep your records fully up-to-date and allow you to easily access your records when needed.
To get a replacement NHS Medical Card, you’ll need to contact the GP with whom you’re registered with and apply for one. Your GP office will provide you with a GMS1 form(the family doctor services registration form).
You will need to fill the GMS1 form out, providing information about your current and prior addresses. Once you return the GMS1 form to your GP, they will issue you a new, up-to-date NHS medical card.
If you are not registered with your GP or live in an area where cards are only issued upon request, you’ll need to contact your local area trust. There are separate trusts for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
While not everyone has an NHS medical card, everyone that is registered with the NHS in England and Wales have their own unique NHS number.
Your NHS number is printed on your medical card given to you when you register with a GP practice.
You should aim to complete your NHS medical card change of address at least two weeks prior to moving home. This is to ensure the NHS system can be updated with your new details before you move to your new address.
This is especially important if you’re moving out of the area and switching doctors. Your old GP practice will need to transfer all your medical records over to your new practice and you will need to register with a doctor in your new area.
If information in your GP health record is incorrect, you need to contact your doctor’s surgery. They will then update your personal information in your record, including your address.
Anyone registered with the NHS in Wales and England has a unique NHS number. This 10-digit number helps the health care staff trace your health records.
You can find your NHS number on your medical card. However, if your medical card is more than eight years old, it will show your old NHS number.
If you can’t find your NHS number on your medical card, ask your GP to look through your medical history notes to find it.
If you weren’t born in England or Wales, you will need to approach a health centre, an NHS GP surgery or a Primary Care Trust (PCT) to get your NHS number.
So, now you know how to update your NHS medical card details when moving home.
You have two options when it comes to changing your address on your medical card: you can either complete your NHS medical card change of address online using SlothMove, or you can contact your GP surgery directly.
Find out exactly how SlothMove works.