What was needed?
Research into health needs of University students in Newcastle found that whilst 89% of students thought it was important to be registered with a GP during their stay in Newcastle, 29% weren’t registered.
Anecdotal evidence from local urgent care providers identified students often used their services for minor ailments or problems often because they were not registered with a local GP.
Students reported feeling pressured to sign up to the only GP practice with a presence at their Fresher’s Fairs as it was the only one there or they were attracted because there was the chance to win prizes.
The impact of these issues were:
- Not being registered with a GP where they live means patients won't have access to timely, accessible and appropriate medical care as medical staff don't have access to their medical record.
- Students attending services inappropriately puts huge strain on the NHS and may have a reputational impact for the University.
- Students often ended up registering with practices that did not suit their needs or were not within an accessible distance from their home.
What did we do?
There was an identified need for a choice-based registration service providing students with the information and space they needed to make an informed choice of which practice they would like to register with.
The Student GP Registration Service provides students with transparent and consistent information allowing them to choose a GP practice they feel best fits their need considering GP practice location, staff demographics or opening times for example.
Prior to the pandemic registration activities were physically co-located with enrolment activities at both universities. Reflecting lockdown requirements at the time of delivery the project was adapted to a digital platform incorporating an augmented map highlighting place of residence, important locations/reference points such as the university and relevant GPs, Information on each GP is easy to compare and available on the map, no need to scroll through a GP website.
Once a student has chosen their preferred GP practice, this information is checked and sent directly to that GP practice. The student does not need to do anything else. Additionally, students are provided with a digital resource outlining NHS services available to them, their locations and guidance on when to access this.
Promotion of the service to students is through their University which takes place during enrolment and once a student has relocated. In 2022 we had a stall and staff supporting students to sign up on the day providing all the information they needed to make an informed choice on which GP practice to sign up with.
How is it funded?
The Service operates on a cost per registration model. GP practices pay per registration they receive.
What impact did this have?
Almost 50,000 students have now registered with a local GP since launching this service. This has potentially huge cost savings to the NHS from students no longer attending services inappropriately.
If you would like further information about the Student GP Registration Service please contact us.
