How to change your name with the NHS
Quick answer
Updated · Editorial policy
How do I ask my GP to change my name?
Contact your GP surgery; ask which form or secure channel it uses. Explain which name should appear on the record and ask how the practice will confirm the update. Use a published contact method from the practice itself. Do not upload medical records or identity documents to Instant Deed Poll.
The practice may have an administrative-request form or ask you to speak to its reception or records team. Ask how to share supporting documents securely, rather than assuming an ordinary email attachment is the right route.
Do I need a deed poll to change my NHS name?
Ask the practice what it needs. NHS England’s template lists evidence such as a marriage/civil partnership certificate or deed poll. This is not a reason to buy a deed poll automatically: the evidence that fits a marriage-related surname change can differ from an unrelated first-name or surname change. Confirm the practice’s requirements for your circumstances.
If you want a preferred name used in conversation or correspondence, ask the practice how that is recorded and how it relates to your main record. Be clear about whether you are asking for a name update, a title change or another demographic-record change; they should not be treated as interchangeable requests.
Our document chooser helps you identify common evidence routes, including free and official options. It cannot decide a practice’s individual requirements.
Can I change my name in the NHS App?
The NHS App help page tells users to contact their GP for a name change. The contact-details controls in the app let you update email and mobile details; changing these does not change your name. NHS contact details are also separate from NHS login details.
After the practice has confirmed the update, check the name shown where you use the app. If it is still wrong, tell the practice where the old name appears and ask whether the underlying record has been updated. Avoid creating a second account just to make the displayed name look different.
What is different elsewhere in the UK?
Use the health service and GP practice where you are registered. The NHS App instructions above concern England; they should not be presented as a single UK-wide process.
| Where you are registered | Practical starting point |
|---|---|
| England | Contact your GP surgery about the patient record used by its services and the NHS App. |
| Scotland | Ask your practice how it will update your details. NHS Scotland uses the Community Health Index (CHI) to identify patients and support records management. |
| Wales | Ask your GP about your recorded details and any linked local services. NHS 111 Wales describes the name and contact information held within the GP-record summary. |
| Northern Ireland | Contact your GP practice and ask for its local name-update procedure. Check separately with other Health and Social Care services you use. |
Links to the relevant official services appear below. The free organiser changes its GP guidance when you select your UK nation.
Will hospital, pharmacy and dental records change too?
Ask what your GP’s update covers, then check the other services you use. A confirmation from one organisation does not establish that every appointment system, prescription record or dental account now displays the new name.
- Check the next appointment letter or message.
- Ask how the name will appear on repeat-prescription requests and at your pharmacy.
- Check with a hospital records team if you have an ongoing appointment or referral.
- Tell your dental practice separately if its details need updating.
- Ask who to contact if two records show different names.
This is a records checklist, not advice to change or interrupt treatment. For a question about access to your current care, speak to the service responsible.
What can I write in a request to the practice?
Keep the initial request simple and ask for the practice’s process. You can adapt the wording below in its secure administrative channel; add identifying information only as that service requests.
Please tell me how to update the name on my patient record. I would like to know which evidence you need, how to provide it securely, which connected records you will update and how I will know the change is complete.
If privacy matters for a particular letter, message or phone call, explain that to the practice directly and ask what it can arrange. Do not put medical information into a public review or a general website enquiry to resolve a records issue.
What other records should I update?
Work through the full notification checklist, including banks, HMRC and any benefits you receive. Our free organiser lets you track selected tasks without entering your name or health details.
If an unenrolled deed poll is the right evidence for your circumstances, our free template is available without an email gate. Optional personalised preparation costs £14.99. A purchased document does not update health records automatically.
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