Travellers and other vulnerable groups without a fixed address or proof of ID are being turned away from GP surgeries despite NHS guidance that they should be treated, the charity the Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) warned.
After a “mystery shopper” exercise where a prospective patient who said she was a traveller without proof of address or ID contacted 50 GP surgeries, 24 refused or were unable to register the patient, 17 practices said they would not register people without proof of identification and 12 GP practices said they would not register people without an address.
Groups who have no fixed address include asylum seekers and refugees, those in contact with the criminal justice system, homeless people and people who have suffered domestic violence.
NHS guidance states that registering to become a patient should not require proof of identity, address or immigration status.
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