Overseas visitors and GP appointments in the UK

UK healthcare is largely free at the point of delivery although being in Oxford – a top destination for tourist, business and overseas visitors – we see first-hand how confusing it is particularly for an overseas visitor to work out what treatment options are available.

If you are a visitor to Oxford and you are unwell, you can pay to get immediate access to a doctor at Oxford Private Medical Practice www.oxfordprivategp.com, but there are circumstances when you can be treated for free through the National Health Service.

The two key principles to bear in mind are; that anyone ordinarily resident in the UK is entitled to receive all NHS services; and everybody in need of emergency treatment are entitled to be seen by an NHS doctor for free.

In an emergency, you can be treated either at an accident & emergency (A&E) centre or at a local GP practice where you can receive treatment for 14 days (after 14 days you will need to register as a temporary or permanent patient).  But remember, although no charge can be made for A&E services provided at an NHS hospital, if you are not ordinarily resident in the UK and do not hold a current European Health Insurance Card you will generally be charged for other hospital services.

If you have an illness that is a non-emergency and an NHS GP practice’s patient list is ‘open’ it is up to the GP practice to decide whether to accept you as a new patient either fully registered, or as a temporary resident if you are to be in the area for between 24 hours and three months. 

If you are a visitor to Oxford and you are finding it difficult getting access to the care you want, please call us at Oxford Private Medical Practice on 01865 423425.