On Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:00:13 +0100, Roland Perry 
wrote:

>In message <48d7f255$0$26088$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk>, at 20:35:05 on 
>Mon, 22 Sep 2008, Joe Lee <invalid@noaddress.?.invalid> remarked:
>>A number of Universities have put it online, eg;
>>http://www.uwhc.org.uk/gms1.PDF
>
>Thanks.
>
>Interestingly it asks for NHS number (the item I think has been 
>conflated with NI Number at some stage).
>
>Also an address, which raises all the issues I mentioned before about 
>"proof of address" which in turn amounts to much the same as "proof of 
>ID" in many circumstances.
>
>It also has the gloriously vague "if you are from abroad". What does 
>this mean??  Is it a backhanded way of asking if you aren't a UK 
>citizen, or would a returning ex-pat also have to fill in that section? 
>Including ex-pats born overseas coming to the UK the first time. And the 
>"first time you came to UK", is that 'to live', or would a trip as a 
>tourist count. Oh what a tangled web.

The point at issue is whether you are registered with another GP, to
avoid paying two capitation fees for the same patient. Many people,
who haven't actually seen a doctor for years, are very vague about
whther they are registered, and if so where. "From abroad" helps to
exclude that possibility.

And being asked for an address strikes me as a very different thing
from being asked for *proof* of address.

-- 
Don Aitken
Mail to the From: address is not read.
To email me, substitute "clara.co.uk" for "freeuk.com"

In message , at 22:35:05 on 
Mon, 22 Sep 2008, Don Aitken  remarked:
>>It also has the gloriously vague "if you are from abroad". What does
>>this mean??  Is it a backhanded way of asking if you aren't a UK
>>citizen, or would a returning ex-pat also have to fill in that section?
>>Including ex-pats born overseas coming to the UK the first time. And the
>>"first time you came to UK", is that 'to live', or would a trip as a
>>tourist count. Oh what a tangled web.
>
>The point at issue is whether you are registered with another GP, to
>avoid paying two capitation fees for the same patient. Many people,
>who haven't actually seen a doctor for years, are very vague about
>whther they are registered, and if so where. "From abroad" helps to
>exclude that possibility.

So that's a "yes" for returning ex-pats, I suppose.

And the answer to "when you first came to the UK", if born here - DoB I 
suppose. I'm not sure I could find out what my address was that long 
ago, though.

>And being asked for an address strikes me as a very different thing
>from being asked for *proof* of address.

One implies the other - unless GPs are a last bastion of 
trust-the-applicant.
-- 
Roland Perry