This section of the website explains how and where you can receive healthcare.
EU citizens lawfully living in Wales before 31 December 2020, will be able to use the NHS in Wales and access NHS services free of charge as you can now, provided you have registered and obtained settled or pre-settled status to be able to continue to live in the UK. If you do not register, you may be considered an overseas visitor and may be charged for NHS services.
To be considered ordinarily resident, you must be living in Wales on a lawful and properly settled basis for the time being. This means that you must have been granted Settled Status or pre Settled Status. If you have not had a decision on your settled status application yet your rights will be protected until that decision or any appeal is determined.
You may be asked for evidence of this. EU citizens who move to the UK from 1 January 2021 for more than six months will be subject to immigration control and pay the immigration health surcharge as part of any visa application. However, certain groups, where a Member State continues to cover their healthcare costs in full, will be able to seek reimbursement of the surcharge.
Short-term visitors to the UK who are not covered by the new UK-EU agreement on reciprocal healthcare, including former UK residents, may be charged for NHS treatment.
A GP is a family doctor. You must register with a GP to ensure you can access treatment when you are sick. They have to offer immediate necessary treatment for anyone who normally lives outside their area. If you cannot be registered as a permanent resident in the area, you could be treated as a temporary resident for at least 14 days. If you are having trouble being accepted by a GP surgery, your Local Health Board is able to register you to a surgery. To find a GP surgery near you visit NHS Direct Wales.
You should not need proof of work or payslips to register with the GP but you may need to show that you live locally.
You should receive an explanation if your registration request is refused. If you are struggling to find a GP practice, you can find contact details for GPs in your area and the local Health Board in the below link;
Your health will not affect your immigration status or affect what NHS services are available to you. None of the people who work for the NHS, including doctors, nurses and interpreters will pass on any information about your health to any other person or organisation outside of the NHS without your permission (except in very exceptional circumstances, such as if the doctor believes you may be of harm to yourself or others).
You are entitled to be provided with relevant information in a language you understand. It is the responsibility of health services to arrange free interpretation to make sure you can communicate properly.
You do not need to register with a dentist but free dental treatment will only be available at a dentist which accepts NHS patients. You can find a local NHS dentist by searching in your local area at the NHS Direct website. If you need emergency dental treatment, you can contact the dental help line at NHS Direct Wales.
Once you have registered with a GP, you can receive routine medical care. This is usually through an appointment system. You will need to ask your GP for details about how appointments can be booked at your surgery. You can also ask to be seen by a male or female doctor if possible. You can ask for a home visit if you are disabled or too unwell to visit the GP surgery.
You should make sure that the GP surgery knows in advance if you will need them to arrange for an interpreter during your appointment.
Lots of health advice can be found on the NHS Direct Wales website or on the telephone, without the need to wait for a GP appointment. NHS Direct has an interpretation service which helps people who do not speak English or Welsh to get help in a language of their choice. More information about the help NHS Direct Wales can give to those who do not speak English or Welsh can be found on their website.
The NHS in Wales aims to provide the best care and treatment but sometimes treatment may go wrong. When this happens you can make a complaint. It may be easiest to speak with those giving you treatment but if you do not want to do this, you can talk to the Health Board’s complaints team. Visit the Health in Wales website to find out more about making a complaint.
Many health services in Wales run ‘Out of Hours’ services between 6:30pm and 8:00am on weekdays and all day at weekends and on public holidays. This is when many healthcare settings may be closed. During ‘out of hours’ periods you may still be able to telephone your GP surgery and you may be redirected to another service. You can also call NHS 111 for advice and information. You can visit the NHS 111 website at this link.
If you or a family member has an accident or a sudden serious illness you should go to your nearest hospital with an Accident and Emergency department which is free for everyone.
If it is an extreme emergency call 999 and ask for an ambulance to transport you to a hospital. This service is free of charge and should only be used in an emergency. If you are able to, you may also make your own way to the Accident and Emergency department.
Do not use Accident and Emergency for minor medical problems.
If you urgently need medical help or advice but it’s not a life-threatening situation call NHS 111.
Your GP may want you to take medicines and will write you a prescription. You will need to take your prescription to the pharmacy or chemist.
You can visit this website to find your local pharmacy: NHS 111 Wales - Local Services Search or ask for advice at your GP surgery.
The pharmacist can also give free advice on treating minor health problems, such as colds and coughs. You can buy some medicines from the pharmacy without a prescription, including some painkillers and cough medicines however you will have to pay for these medicines. You may be charged for prescription medicines.
Booking a coronavirus vaccination
You are eligible for a free COVID-19 vaccination through the NHS. Here are details of how you can book a coronavirus vaccination: https://gov.wales/getting-tested-coronavirus-covid-19
The vaccine will be offered and made available to everyone living in the UK free of charge. You do not need to be registered at a GP surgery or have an NHS number to receive the vaccine. Community Pharmacies, Primary Care Network (PCN) vaccination hubs, ‘pop-up’ sites and roving models of vaccine delivery will be able to offer help to those who have not yet registered with a GP.
Looking after your mental health and well-being is a very important of keeping healthy. Anyone can feel anxious, worried or stressed at different times in their life. You are likely to have experienced traumatic events and adjusting to life in a new country can be very difficult. You can talk to your GP if you feel stressed or that life is not worth living. Your GP may be able to find you some expert help. If you want to talk to someone about these problems, the Samaritans has a free to call service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, which is confidential. You can call them on 116 123
Children and young people can also be affected by poor mental health or well-being. Secondary schools have counselling services which can be used pupils if they feel worried, anxious or confused.
If you are pregnant you should notify the GP surgery to ensure that you receive support during your pregnancy from NHS midwives. After the baby is born, ‘health visitors’ will provide you with advice and support to ensure your baby is developing well. NHS Wales provides ‘screening’ services to check that your baby is healthy. This includes checks before the baby is born and when they are new born. More information about child screening programmes can be found at the Screening for Life website. Children registered with a GP in Wales can also receive a range of vaccinations to help keep them, their family and neighbours safe. These vaccines are offered free. More information about available childhood vaccines can be found at the NHS Direct Wales website.
The NHS provides a range of reproductive health services which can help you to make informed decisions. This includes advice about contraception, sexually transmitted infections, abortion and family planning. They can also help if you have been sexually assaulted. More information about sexual health can be found at the NHS Direct Wales website. Using contraception and abortion are legal in the UK and can be provided safely and without charge.
Smoking or drinking alcohol during pregnancy can damage your baby’s development. Advice and help to stop smoking can be found at the ‘Help Me Quit’ website. Advice about how to stop drinking alcohol can be found at the Alcohol Change website.
If you are a survivor of sexual violence, you can find more information which could help you on the ‘Staying Safe’ page of this website.
EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland citizens who began studying at an accredited UK higher education institute in the UK on or before 31 December 2020, may use their EHIC for medically necessary healthcare until the end of their course, irrespective of their nationality. The individual must apply to the EU Settlement Scheme if their course extends beyond 30 June 2021. EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland citizens whose course of study in the UK began after 1 January 2021 and lasts for more than 6 months, will need to pay the immigration health surcharge as a part of your student visa application. For a shorter course of study EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland citizens can continue to use their EHIC for medically necessary healthcare.
Planned healthcare arrangements will continue; and eligible pensioners, frontier workers and certain other groups – and their family members - will continue to benefit from reciprocal healthcare arrangements covering their healthcare costs.
If you are not sure if about any planned healthcare, arrangements you should ask your health care provider to check you are eligible to continue to receive reciprocal healthcare
After 31 December 2020 individuals who move to the UKte (or to the UK from a Member State) will be able to receive full healthcare coverage whilst in that Member State. However, people who export pensions and other qualifying benefits will no longer be eligible for treatment for free on the NHS if they return to the UK unless they have ongoing exemption under the Withdrawal Agreement or are covered by other exemption under Wales’ National Health Services Charges to Overseas Visitors Regulations 1989 and amending regulations.
As with existing arrangements, some individuals who move their habitual residence to a Member State (or to the UK from a Member State) will be able to receive full healthcare coverage whilst in that Member State. This includes frontier workers, some other cross-border workers (such as mariners) and some posted/’detached’ workers.
What you need to know
You can access all the up to date information and advice about coronavirus here:
https://covid.reciteme.com/nhs-novel/
You can spread the virus even if you have no symptoms. People who are ill may have a cough or a high temperature.
If you need any treatment with coronavirus symptoms, you will not have to pay. You do not need to worry, your information will not be shared with the UK Government.
Please contact ‘999’ if you need urgent medical attention.
Public Health Wales has also created a coronavirus help booklet. It is available in many different languages:
‘Doctors of the World’ has provided information in many different languages:
https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/coronavirus-information/#
Please see the following advice to help you understand the symptoms of Strep A and Scarlet Fever 'Scarletine':
Treat at home
If your child has any of the following:
- Sore throat
- Headache
Cold and flu like symptoms are very common at this time of year, especially in children. Most will have a common seasonal virus, which can be treated at home by keeping the child hydrated, and with paracetamol.
Contact NHS 111 Wales or your GP for advice
If your child also develops any of the following:
- Fever
- Nausea or vomiting
A fine red rash, which typically first appears on the chest and stomach. Older children may not have the rash.
Contact GP straight away
If your child has any of the following:
- Fever (a high temperature above 38°C)
- Severe muscle aches
- Localised muscle tenderness
- Redness at the site of a wound
Contact your GP or get medical advice straight away.
Measles outbreaks are rising in Wales.
Measles is very infectious and can be very serious. It spreads easily between people who are not vaccinated. It can cause serious illnesses, such as meningitis. People, including children, can die from measles.
The best protection against Measles is the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination. More people need to receive the MMR vaccine to prevent the disease from spreading.
The symptoms of Measles are:
- red or brown rash (it can be more difficult to see the rash on dark skin)
- fever
- cough
- runny nose
- red eyes
If you or your child has symptoms of Measles, stay at home and phone your or call NHS 111 Wales. It is free to call 111. Stay away from your GP surgery and A&E – you could spread the illness to others.
The first dose of MMR is usually given to babies at 1 year old and the second at 3 years 4 months.
If you or your child has not had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine you can get them free from your GP surgery. It is never too late to catch up on missed doses. Parents of children who have not yet reached the age to receive their second dose don’t need to take any action.
If you had a vaccination for Measles in another country, you may still need two doses of the MMR vaccine. Vaccines given outside of the UK may not be the combined MMR vaccine. If you don’t have a record of the vaccines you have had or are not sure, discuss this with your GP or nurse. You may also need other routine UK vaccinations.
MMR vaccines that do not contain porcine (pork) gelatine are available in Wales. Speak to your GP or nurse if you need a vaccine that does not contain gelatine.
You can look at these websites for more information: Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) - Public Health Wales (nhs.wales)
NHS 111 Wales - Vaccinations (external link)
Measles - Don't let your child catch it - BSL video (youtube.com)