1,000+ Safe Surgeries: GPs stand up for all in their community

In 2018, Doctors of the World launched the Safe Surgeries initiative to create a community of GPs committed to welcoming everyone in need of a doctor, no matter their circumstances. Four years later, there are now just over 1,000 Safe Surgeries across the UK, represented by 1,017 members, promoting inclusive registration processes in line with NHS Guidance. 

What is a Safe Surgery? 

Doctors of the World’s (DOTW) Safe Surgeries initiative supports GP practices to tackle the barriers to healthcare faced by people in vulnerable circumstances, especially migrants.   

A Safe Surgery can be any GP practice which registers with us, to commit to taking steps to ensure that their services are available to everyone in their community. At a minimum, this means ensuring that lack of ID or proof of address, immigration status or language are not barriers to patient registration.  

How are surgeries supported? 

Member practices receive free resources, training and a regular newsletter with policy updates and good practice tips. Practices that sign up as a Safe Surgery become part of a national network of practices and receive ongoing support and advice from DOTW throughout the process. GP trainees can also complete a Safe Surgeries Quality Improvement Project in their practice. 

How can my GP get involved? 

If you work within a GP practice, you can sign up your practice by completing this quick form and you’ll be informed with next steps instantly.  For any queries, you can email safesurgeries@doctorsoftheworld.org.uk.  

If you are a healthcare worker who does not operate within a GP practice (e.g., community health services, secondary care services, social prescribing link worker) and would like to receive our newsletter, please sign up here (https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/safesurgeries/). 

If you are a patient and would like your practice to become a Safe Surgery, you can share our website and recommend they contact us at safesurgeries@doctorsoftheworld.org.uk to get started. To find out whether your practice is already a Safe Surgery, ask a member of staff or see if they have our posters in the patient waiting area. Thank you for helping us create a world where everyone can access healthcare through Safe Surgeries! 

If you need support to register with a GP or would like to learn more about our London clinic, please click here. 

A word from the Safe Surgeries Community

“The safe surgeries information and resources are so helpful and accessible – and the campaign and website are also really inspiring. I really value the whole team resources and the practical guidance, including QI project ideas. I found the vaccination and COVID materials hugely helpful in clinical practice at a complex time. 
Thank you DOTW for all that you do to support making primary care accessible for all.”
– Sharon Dixon, GP

 “We have a really positive response to our Safe Surgeries training sessions; GP practice staff feel that it improves their knowledge and provides practical tips and resources to use in their practice. Taking part in the Safe Surgeries training is an important step towards ensuring GP practices are accessible for everyone in their community”.
– Marina Davidson, Advocacy Manager and Primary Care Lead