Overview of Patient Types
Regular – Used for patients who live within your Local Health Authority (HA) boundary and are expected to remain registered for ongoing care.
Emergency – For a patient who lives outside your HA and requires urgent treatment for less than 24 hours. This is typically used when time is critical and the patient will not be staying long.
Immediately Necessary – For a patient who lives in the local HA area but needs urgent, unplanned care. This ensures they can be treated without delay while keeping registration records clear.
Private – For patients who pay for their treatment. All relevant fees apply, but once registered, the system tracks their care like any other record.
Temporary – A short-term registration for patients who are only in your HA area briefly, including:
- Short Stay – Up to 15 days.
- Long Stay – Over 15 days, expiring after three months (90 days).
If a patient passes away while under a temporary registration, their record can be set accordingly.
Dummy – A fictitious patient record, strictly for testing and training. It helps staff learn workflows without affecting real data.
“Using dummy patients can speed up system training and reduce the risk of errors in live records.”
Contraceptive Services, Maternity Services, and Child Health Services – Tailored patient types for those receiving only these specialised services.
Walk-In Patient – For patients accessing care at a walk-in centre, enabling swift registration without full formalities of a regular registration.
Some practices also register out-of-area patients by adding an appropriate note in the GP Links Information screen, such as “OUT OF AREA REG.”
