Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy that GP surgeries are required to provide primary care to people without a registered doctor in order to discourage those people from having to present at A&E; and if he will make a statement.

Anyone who requires treatment that a general practitioner (GP) or healthcare professional regards as an emergency, or as immediately necessary, should be provided that treatment free of charge, regardless of whether they are registered with a GP. A patient can receive emergency treatment for 14 days. If the patient needs treatment for more than 14 days, they will need to register with that GP surgery as a temporary or permanent patient. Registration as a temporary resident allows a patient to be taken on to the practice's list for up to three months. After three months the patient will have to apply to register with that surgery as a permanent resident.