Registration with a GP practice required ID and proof of address?

Christine LaDuchesse · 20-03-2017 06:22PM #1

Hi,

Recently moved house, so looking for a new GP. There is a practice close by, but the receptionist told me she requires my ID to photocopy and proof of address. In my opinion she can look at my ID to verify I am me, but a copy would not be necessary and is not legally obliged. Right? I do not wish to leave copies of passport everywhere as nowadays you hear of identity fraud so often, so I am very reluctant to provide a copy

Graces7 · 21-03-2017 12:22AM

Christine LaDuchesse wrote: »

Hi,

Recently moved house, so looking for a new GP. There is a practice close by, but the receptionist told me she requires my ID to photocopy and proof of address. In my opinion she can look at my ID to verify I am me, but a copy would not be necessary and is not legally obliged. Right? I do not wish to leave copies of passport everywhere as nowadays you hear of identity fraud so often, so I am very reluctant to provide a copy

They ask for this in many places and I am sure a photocopy is safe. There are are embedded microchips etc in eg passports that cannot be copied.

ie this is totally usual and nothing to worry about. And is surely safe in your medical records?

Christine LaDuchesse · 21-03-2017 09:50AM

Graces7 wrote: »

They ask for this in many places and I am sure a photocopy is safe. There are are embedded microchips etc in eg passports that cannot be copied.

ie this is totally usual and nothing to worry about. And is surely safe in your medical records?

Thank you for your answer, but that was not my question Graces7. Despite the fact that it would be in my medical records I do not trust someone by the fact they are medical professionals. There are bad people in every profession. Also the chip you refer to is useless if someone uses my passport copy for online purchases or to open a bank account or something like that.

My question was if I am legally obliged to provide a GP with a copy of my passport or can I refuse. In other words, are they legally allowed to ask me to privide this. Or is there no law that states that a GP should require a copy of a passport to accept a patient?

livedadream · 21-03-2017 10:13AM

a company can request whatever they want, its your choice to not supply it, there is no law covering what they can request, im assuming if you refuse they will tell you to find another surgery.
have you addressed your concerns with the receptionist?
from my understanding this stuff is required to prevent fraud via social welfare and medical cards etc, ie to ensure you are who you say you are.
and you dont use a passport for online purchases and you need to supply a physical copy to open a bank account.

livedadream · 21-03-2017 12:03PM

Message deleted as prior post has been removed

Graces7 · 21-03-2017 01:15PM

Op; here we get asked for photo proof of ID all the time. For social welfare, for GP , for I seem to remember, getting on a housing list, Oh and when I took a dongle from vodafone way back, there too.

Many use their driving licence and now there is a new SAFE care for folk on social welfare,
And when I rent a house as here? Proof of ID.

It is to prevent fraud. Nothing sinister in any way.
To keep all of us safe from being cheated.

And over decades I have never ever had this abused or been cheated. Not ever.

So please, try to accept that this IS the way it is done here and rest easy on it?

Medical and other records here are well guarded and banks etc have rigorous security checks. Believe me on this. I use phone banking and there is a whole long list of questions. Make one slip and no more access.

Graces7 · 21-03-2017 01:20PM

Post edited to reflect moderation on another post

Christine LaDuchesse · 21-03-2017 01:21PM

livedadream wrote: »

Firstly i have no idea what your first sentence is suppose to even say ''I hope you never have to feed all the ones that do all of the above''

Not my fault if you can clearly not read.

Secondly im going to jog on as i find your suggestion that I or anyone else trying to HELP you would suggest you go back to your own country completely abhorrent.

If I had not included that sentence that is exactly what you or the next one would have said, as I have learned from previous experience in this message board. "If you don't like the way things work here, go back to where you came from"...... is a much used sentence to foreigners

Besides that you are not helping me at all, as you do not answer my question whether or not it is legal for a GP to demand a copy of passport for registration purposes, but already patronize me in your first answer telling me that "you dont use a passport for online purchases and you need to supply a physical copy to open a bank account."
best of luck in your endeavors.[/QUOTE]Thank you, same to you.

This thread can be closed as I got my answer from the HSE.

Registration with a GP practice required ID and proof of address?

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