Join the Practice

Register

Catchment Area

Before you fill in a form, please check that you live within our practice area. You can use the NHS website to find out which GP practices you can register with. You can use the NHS website to find a GP near you. 

Find out which GPs you can register with on the NHS website.

Registering with the surgery

Burnside Surgery is currently accepting new patients. You can join us if you live within our practice boundary. We may also accept patients who live outside the area, subject to a practice agreement (NO HOME VISITS).

Burnside Surgery is proud to be a Safe Surgery. We are committed to ensuring that everyone can access NHS primary care services regardless of their circumstances. You do not need proof of address, identification, immigration documents or an NHS number to register with the practice. While these documents can be helpful if available, they are not required for registration.

How to register

You can register in a number of ways:
It is helpful to have your NHS number when you register. You can find your NHS number on the NHS website. find your NHS number.

You will need to fill in both the Registration form aswell as the Questionnaire to be registered at the practice. If you have any concerns about registering or require additional support, please speak to a member of our reception team who will be happy to help.

Welcome Poster

Practice boundary information

The map (right) shows our practice boundary.

  • The blue area is our standard practice boundary.
  • We also offer an extended boundary for patients living in the wider Bolton area.
We may accept patients from outside our usual catchment area if they agree to and sign a ‘no home visit’ form.

This means:

  • The practice will not be able to provide home visits
  • You will need to attend the surgery for appointments

Please note, in some cases, we may ask you to register with a GP closer to your home. This would be if your care needs change and require closer monitoring or home visits in the future.

Practice Boundary

Your address is within the catchment area.
Your address is outside of the catchment area.
Address not found.

Temporary Registrations

Visiting a doctor when you are away from home

If you feel unwell while you are away from home, or if you are not registered with a GP, you can get emergency treatment from a local GP surgery for up to 14 days. After 14 days, you will need to register as a patient.

Temporary patients

You can register as a temporary patient for up to 3 months.
This means you can be seen by a local GP while still staying registered with your usual doctor.

After 3 months, you will need to:

  • register again as a temporary patient, or
  • register with the practice permanently

How to register as a temporary patient

Contact the GP surgery you would like to use.

They may not have to accept you as a temporary patient, but they must still offer emergency treatment if you need it.

You cannot register as a temporary patient at a GP surgery in the same area where you are already registered.

 

Accountable GP

From 1st April 2015, practices are required to allocate all patients (including children) with a named accountable GP.

The named GP is responsible for the coordination and delivery of all appropriate services, where required based on clinical judgement, to each of their patients.

  • Patients do not need to see their named GP when they book an appointment with the practice.
  • Patients are entitled to choose to see any GP or nurse in the practice.

Accessing someone else’s information

As a parent, family member or carer, you may be able to access services for someone else. We call this having proxy access.  

To arrange proxy access, please attend the surgery with identification and details of your nominated proxee. If you are unable to attend the surgery, please ring the surgery on 01204 969345 and we will do our best to facilitate your request.

Linked profiles in your NHS account

Once proxy access is set up, you can access the other person’s profile in your NHS account, using the NHS App or website.

The NHS website has information about using linked profiles to access services for someone else.

Page last reviewed: 15 September 2026
Page created: 19 February 2024