Medical services

Medical Services in the UK

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

What should I do to access medical services in the UK?

01

European Health Card (TSE)

Request your European sanitary card so that you have temporary coverage when you arrive in the UK

02

Visit your Medical Center

With your health card, visit your medical center (GP or Walk in Centre) in person. They will ask you for the European card. You can have this document (page 2) already filled in to avoid waiting.

03

housing contract

Get a copy of your rental contract or one of the services (electricity, water). Get a copy of your rental contract or one of the services (electricity, water)

04

Register with your GP

Visit your nearest medical center with this document filled in

National Health Service (NHS)

El equivalente a la seguridad social en Reino Unido es la NHS. Los tipos de centros médicos son parecidos a los españoles, son los "doctors surgeries" donde visitas tu médico asignado o "general practitioner" (GP), los "walk in centres" que son los centros de atención primaria donde puedes acceder sin cita, y los hospitales.

Enlaces de gobierno y NHS:

Healthcare for EU citizens after Brexit

If you are an EU citizen living lawfully in the UK on the day the UK leaves the EU, you will be able to use the NHS, as you can now, after that date.

British citizens who live in Ireland and Irish citizens who live in the UK will continue to have the right to access healthcare in these countries after the UK leaves the EU. Irish citizens or British citizens living in Ireland will not have to pay for necessary treatment when visiting England.

For a detailed definition of what being ordinarily resident means, see the GOV.UK guidance.

If you are a citizen of a country outside of the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland subject to immigration control, read the section moving to England from outside the EEA, as different rules may apply.


Registering with a GP

When you have found a practice you like, you'll have to formally register with it as an NHS patient by submitting a registration form to them.

The GMS1registration form (PDF, 156kb) is available at the practice, or you can download it from GOV.UK.

Forms may vary slightly, and some practices use their own version.

When you have completed and returned the form, NHS England will transfer your medical records to your new practice and write to you to confirm your registration as a patient with that practice.

If you're registering a child under 5, you'll have the option of registering them for the Child Health Promotion Programme.

This means your child will be invited for regular health and development checks. Ask the practice for more details.

Information for those moving to or visiting England

You do not need to be ordinarily resident in England to access GP services without charge.

But charges may arise if you need a hospital referral or other specialist treatment.

If you recently moved to England or you're just visiting, look up the particular guidance about access to NHS healthcare.

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