FP69 flags

When a patient is deducted from their GP practice due to an expired FP69 PCSE do not contact the patient to inform them.

PCSE send New Patient Notification letters to patients who are registering with the NHS for the first time to inform them of their NHS number. If the letter is returned undelivered an FP69 flag will be set.

There are checks built into the PCSE process that will prevent FP69s being set on patients records when there has been a change of GP or address after a letter has been sent.

1st October 2025. For any FP69 flags applied before this date the practice had 6 months to contact the patient and confirm their details before the patient was deducted. For any flags applied after the 1st October 2025 the period is 3 months. This was a regulation change notified to GP practices via a contract variation.

If a patient has been deducted because the FP69 expired after the three month period and you did not confirm their details, the patient should complete the registration process.

If you requested the flag to be removed and this was not done then re-register the patient. You should always ensure this is the correct action to ensure you do not inappropriately re-register patients.

This is often off the back of a list maintenance exercise or bulk mailing for patients registered at the practice. Regulations do not limit the number of FP69s that can be applied at a single time.

This can typically happen if a patient lives at an address where there are difficulties in delivering mail e.g. caravan parks or canal barges. PCSE are not able to exclude patients from having FP69s being set against their record.

Only one flag can be set on a patients record at any one time. Patients can have multiple flags set over time if there are further letters sent that are returned undelivered, or they fail to respond to a request to confirm their details.

Primarily FP69s are set because there is a query about the patients address. If address information is checked as part of booking appointments / providing treatment then you can request the removal of the flag. ‘Recently seen’ is classified as within the last 6 months. If the patient has not been seen in the last 6 months you should contact the patient to confirm their address.

Attempt to respond to the FP69 again via your clinical system. Where possible use options available from dropdown menus.

a. Address unchanged and/or confirmed, remove FP69

b. Patient seen, remove FP69

If it is not possible to do a further response to the FP69 flag please email pcse.registrations-preston@nhs.net. Please include the patients details and your practice code.

- New Patient Registration letters – Also known as Welcome Letters, these replaced the old style medical records and are sent to patients newly registered with the NHS. The letter informs the patient of their NHS number as well as providing some basic information about the NHS

- Practice Mergers & Closures – PCSE send letters on behalf of practices and ICBs to inform registered patients about upcoming practices mergers or closures, as well as other practice notifications such as moved premises etc.

- Patient Removals – Notifications sent to patients to inform them they have been deducted, or are due to be deducted

• Immediate Removals
• 8 Day Removals
• Out of Area Removals
• Patient requested removals

- Allocation Letters – Informing patients what practice they have been allocated to following their request due to unable to register at a practice of their choice