GP first visit question

My wife and I are moving to Southampton!!  She has gone ahead of me and already started working.  She called to sign up with the local GP and was told that she could not sign up untill she was sick then she could come in.  This did not seem right to us so I wanted to check here.

Also if she is not sick for her first visit what do you do during the appointment?  Is it like a physical or do you just talk?

Congratulations on the move!

Your wife should be able to sign up with a GP, sick or not.

I signed up with my local GP within a month of moving to England. They had me make an initial appointment with a nurse so they could get my information into the system. The appointment wasn't as intensive as a physical - she took my weight, height and BP, and asked me a couple questions (if I smoke, drink, etc). That was it.

That said, every practice perhaps operates a little bit differently. Maybe your wife could try calling again, or finding another GP in the area and trying them.

Good luck!

ETA: I made this post under the assumption that your wife has no NHS history. It may well be different if she does, as she would (I'm guessing) already be in the system.

Same here! When I signed up with my GPs practice, all I had to do was complete a new patient registration form, and give them proof of address, then had a new patient check appointment with a nurse, and abra cadabra.. I was registered with the practice and free to see the doctors. I have high blood pressure, so my first visiit to the doctor was to talk about my existing meds and to change over to the UK equiv. Seems strange that your wife was told not to sign up until she was sick...