GP Surgeries in Catford: Practices, Registering and Extra Appointments

Which GP practices serve Catford?

NHS South East London publishes a directory for the Lewisham neighbourhood that includes Catford, Bellingham and the Downham and Grove Park area. The neighbourhood directory lists these practices with SE6 addresses:

• Novum Health Partnership at Rushey Green Group Practice, The Primary Care Centre, Hawstead Road, SE6 4JH.
• Modality Partnership at South Lewisham Group Practice, 50 Conisborough Crescent, SE6 2SP.
• Parkview Surgery, 186 Brownhill Road, SE6 1AT.
• Torridon Road Medical Practice, 80 Torridon Road, SE6 1RB.

The same directory also lists practices just outside SE6 that cover the wider area, including Novum Health Partnership at Baring Road Surgery (282 Baring Road, SE12 0DS), Ashdown Medical Group at Burnt Ash Surgery (2 Handen Road, SE12 8NP), and practices on Moorside Road and Shroffold Road in Downham (BR1). The directory also lists the Hawstead Road Contraception and Sexual Health Clinic, on the first floor of the Primary Care Centre in Hawstead Road.

A listing in this directory is not a statement that a practice is taking new patients.

What about Hither Green?

The directory above covers the south Lewisham neighbourhood, so it will not list every practice for all of Hither Green. The simplest way to see your options is the NHS find a GP search, using your postcode. The council's Hither Green page is a useful local reference for the area, but it does not list surgeries.

How do I register with a GP?

Everyone in England can register with a GP surgery, according to the NHS registration page. You do not need ID, proof of address or proof of immigration status. The surgery asks for your name, date of birth and address, and an NHS number is helpful but not required. A surgery can refuse to register you if it is not taking new patients, if you live outside its area, or if you were previously removed from its list.

There are three ways to do it: use the online registration route, where you search for a surgery offering online registration and complete a form that takes around 15 minutes per person, with confirmation typically within five days; submit a paper form in person; or use the practice's own website. If you are already registered, the NHS App lets you change surgeries.

Can I get an appointment in the evening or on a Saturday?

Lewisham practices normally open from 8am to 6.30pm, and NHS South East London says they also offer early morning, evening and Saturday appointments in partnership with neighbouring practices. According to the Lewisham access page, you may be offered a face-to-face, phone or video appointment, and appointments are now allocated on clinical need rather than first come, first served. Whether you call, drop in or make an online request, you will be asked for a short summary of your query. The NHS App can also be used to book and manage appointments.

When should I not wait for a GP?

If you need help urgently, use NHS 111 or go to an urgent care service. Our guide to urgent care and A&E for Catford explains where to go, and our pharmacy guide covers conditions a pharmacist can treat without a GP appointment.

Where is the wider NHS information?

The ICB's GP services page lists all Lewisham practices and points to the NHS website for registering and booking.