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While living on a canal boat can offer freedom and affordability, many boat dwellers in London struggle to register with a GP because they lack a fixed address, according to the the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA).
NHS guidance states that people do not need proof of address to register with a GP practice. However, campaigners say those living on boats with no permanent mooring and others without addresses often encounter difficulties.
Canal boat owner Camille Tsang had been registered with a GP surgery near her office in Colindale, North London, where she has worked for more than 10 years.
In September 2024, she received a letter from Colindale Medical Centre informing her that she had been removed from their patient list and advising her to register with a local GP.
Despite working and paying regular National Insurance contributions, Camille says she has been fighting to access a GP ever since.
“The problem is I don’t have a catchment area,” she said. “There’s no safety net for me. If I were to get sick for more than a week and needed a sick note, I wouldn’t be able to get one.”
Camille raised the issue with her local NHS care board and later took her complaint to the Parliamentary Health and Service Ombudsman.
Marcus Trower, secretary of the NBTA, said this is a common issue for boat dwellers.
He is calling for harsher repercussions for GP practices that refuse to register patients without a fixed address.
“There needs to be some kind of consequences for GPs denying somebody healthcare,” he said. “Surely we should all be able to access healthcare.”
Sarah McIlwaine, Director of Primary Care, NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board said: “We understand how important it is to be able to access health and care services.
“We sincerely apologise for the significant delay Ms. Tsang has experienced in resolving this and understand how worrying and frustrating this must have been.
Colindale Medical Centre is contacting Ms. Tsang as a matter of urgency to begin the registration process and we will continue to monitor this case closely.”
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