Hospital
If you are in need of an ambulance, call the general emergency number 999. You can find out when to call, and more about emergency services at London Ambulance Service.
Free emergency medical care is given regardless of nationality and ability-to-pay. The Emergency Department is traditionally known as Accident and Emergency, or A&E. A triage nurse priorities all patients on arrival, but waiting times here can be up to 4 hours. In general, private hospitals do not provide emergency care services.
This is also in NHS hospitals (through A&E) that you will have access to peadiatricians.
For minor or non-life threatening illnesses, call your GP or any local doctor. There are also a number of private 24-hour doctor services that make house calls.
- University College Hospital - 235 Euston Road, London; Tel. 0845 155 5000
- King's College Hospital - Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS; Tel +44 (0)20 3299 9000
- Royal Brompton Hospital - Sydney Street, London, Greater London, SW3 6NP; Tel. 020 7352 8121
- Charing Cross Hospital - Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8RF; Tel. 020 3311 1234
- Chelsea & Westminster Hospital - 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH; Tel. 020 8746 8000 Cromwell Hospital - 162-174 Cromwell Road, London SW5 0TU United Kingdom; Tel. 44 (0)20 7460 5700
- Guys's Hospital - Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT; Tel: 020 7188 7188
- Barnet & Chase Farm Hospital - Wellhouse Lane, Barnet, Herts, EN5 3DJ; Tel. 020 8370 2588
- King George Hospital - Barley Lane, Goodmayes Essex IG3 8YB; Tel. 0845 130 4204
- Central Middlesex Hospital - Northwick Park Hospital, Watford Road, Harrow, HA1 3UJ; Tel. 020 8965 5733
Pharmacy
Pharmacies (or chemists) can be found anywhere is England. Business hours are Monday to Friday 9:00 to 17:30, Saturday 9:00-12:30. Outside of these hours, it may difficult to find an open store as there are no 24-hour pharmacies in the city. The timetables of chemists are posted on their doors and in local newspapers. If you need medicine when all pharmacies are shut, contact your GP or local police station. Some major supermarkets have a pharmacy counter and they may be open for separate opening hours than the market.
There are three categories of medicines in the UK:
Medicine prescribed by a doctor
Medicine sold under the supervision of a pharmacist
Medicine that is freely available
NHS prescriptions for medicines are charged at a fixed rate. An NHS prescription costs £7.65 (from April 2012) for each item of medicine. The price includes:
- The cost of the doctor issuing the prescription
- The cost of the medication - subsidised by the NHS
You can reduce the cost for a renewable prescriptions with a three months prescription prepayment certificates £29.10 (£104 for 12 months). This saves you money if you need four or more items in three months. People under 16, pensioners, pregnant woman, people on permanent disability, low-income, and students under 19 are entitled to free prescriptions.
To find a pharmacy in your area, search Pharmacies in London.
Update 10/05/2012
Expatriate health insurance in the United Kingdom
With so much to deal with before leaving your home country, (taxes, moving house, paperwork etc.) the careful planning of your expatriation to London is an essential step. As far as healthcare is concerned, your local social security scheme won’t be accompanying you to your host country and, once abroad, you might be surprised by the care system you find in the United Kingdom So, before leaving, make sure you have appropriate cover!
Cigna is one of the world's biggest international insurers with more than 30 years' experience in providing global health insurance across 200 countries and territories. They have access to more than 1.65 million hospitals, physicians, clinics and specialists worldwide.
Cigna Global's flexible plans are specifically designed for expats and globally mobile individuals who move to the United Kingdom. All their plans can be tailored to your individual requirements in the United Kingdom, always finding the right healthcare solution, whatever the situation and budget.
Getting a health insurance quote
Create your perfect plan with Cigna and combine the reassurance of comprehensive inpatient cover with the flexibility of optional extra benefits.
Click on the button to access the online tool and get a quote in 2 minutes.
15/11/2002