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.

Once your medical situation has been stabilised in the Accident and Emergency department you may need to stay in a specialist department of the hospital until you have fully recovered and can return home.

If you urgently need medical help or advice but it’s not a life-threatening situation call NHS 111.

The following information is about the health service in England – please check the separate websites for Wales, Scotland and NI.

A GP is the first doctor you will usually visit when accessing healthcare in the UK.  GPs are highly skilled doctors who are trained in all aspects of general medicine e.g. child health, adult medicine and mental health. Practice nurses are qualified and registered nurses who usually run clinics for long-term conditions e.g. diabetes. Other healthcare professionals also work in GP practice, for example pharmacists and physiotherapists.

You will need to register at a GP surgery, also called a practice, near where you are living as soon as possible, even if you are not currently ill.

You can find out how to register with a GP surgery in the UK at: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps/how-to-register-with-a-gp-surgery/

To register with a GP, you will need to give your name, date of birth, address and telephone number if you have one. GP surgeries may ask to see proof of identity with your name and date of birth (such as your passport or recognised identity card) and proof of address. However, they cannot refuse to register you if these are not available.

After you have registered with your new GP you might be asked to have a health check. This will usually be carried out by a nurse. It is important that you go to this appointment even if you are well. If you move to a different part of the UK, you will need to register with a new GP. You can only be registered with one GP practice.

Mental health problems range from the worries we all experience as part of everyday life to serious long-term conditions. Anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression are the most common problems. If you have been feeling depressed for more than a few weeks or your anxiety is affecting your daily life, make an appointment to speak to your doctor.

You can contact the C.A.L.L. help line on 0800 132 737, this line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The helpline can give support and information on mental health to people in Wales. You can ask for someone to speak with you in your own language.

Advice is also available on the NHS website (https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/ ) to support you on your way to feeling better. The NHS website also gives details of support organisations and their helplines that you can contact for help and advice.

Your GP may want you to take medicines and will write you a prescription. 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. Most prescription medicines are free in Wales.

The Welsh Governments COVID-19 advice webpage https://gov.wales/coronavirus  has information about COVID 19 along with any guidelines and rules in place about what you can do if you or a member of your family have a positive test result.

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.

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.

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.

Health services may ask for identification when registering.  The Local Health Board will not share your details with the UK Government. This is because we believe it is important that you seek treatment if you need it.

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.

Emergency medical treatment can be sought by calling 999 and asking for an ambulance. This must only be used in an emergency. If you do not speak or understand English, speak in your own language. The call operator will arrange an interpreter. It is important you say where you are, including the address and post code.

Prescriptions for medicines are free for all in Wales. Medicines can be collected from local pharmacies or chemists.

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 contact NHS Direct Wales on 08454647 for advice and information.

NHS Wales provides ‘screening’ to test members of the public for various types of disease at different points in life. This includes types of Cancer, Heart disease and disorders affecting healthy child development. More information about screening programmes can be found at the Screening for Life website.

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.

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)