Quickhelp
Agency Ltd
Additional information for all applicants and families:
Health services in the UK if you need a doctor:
On the 1st May 2004, the following 10
countries joined the European Union (EU): Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and
Slovenia.
Most existing EU members provide free or reduced cost medical
treatment to visitors, students, posted workers and pensioners.
In general terms, this will be extended to the countries that
joined the EU in 2004.
To access the free or reduced cost
treatments, you need a properly validated European Health
Insurance Card
If you are planning to travel to the European Economic Area (EEA)
or Switzerland you will need to apply for this card, which is
free.
The card is available by completing a form. If you need more
information click on this Health Advice for Travellers link.
The EEA consists of the European Union (EU) member states:
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Malta, Poland,
Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the UK; plus
Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Switzerland also operates the
same arrangements as the EU countries.
Additional information about the National Health Service (NHS):
The National Health Service (NHS) was
set up in 1948 to provide free healthcare for all the residents
of the UK.
For its founders, the most important feature was that it was free
at the point of need. This means that every time you go to
the doctor or receive treatment at hospital, it is provided free
of charge. The NHS is funded through general taxation and is run
by the Department of Health.
There is also a private healthcare sector in the UK.
People pay for private healthcare either through insurance or
when they use its services
Health services in the UK are divided into ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ and are provided by local NHS organisations called ‘trusts’.
If you want to get more information about NHS and general healthcare: http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Telephone or email Quickhelp Agency Ltd with any queries
Tel: 020 7794 8666/020 7435 7671