Anyone can get treatment with the NHS. Whether you pay for this or not depends on if you are a resident or an overseas visitor. 

A resident is someone who lives in the UK. An overseas visitor is someone who lives somewhere else. They might be here on holiday or visiting friends and family. If you have a British passport but you live in a different country you are an overseas patient. 

We ask all our patients for information on where they live. We will ask you to confirm this every time you visit. 

Do I need to pay for treatment?

It depends. Some services are free for everyone, including overseas visitors. These include: 

  • Visits to the Emergency Department
  • Family-planning services like pregnancy advice
  • Treatment for certain infectious diseases 

If you visit the Emergency Department and need to stay overnight, you will need to pay. You will also need to pay if we give you an ‘outpatient’ appointment on another day. 

Treatment that the doctor thinks is urgent will go ahead no matter what. This includes maternity services. You will need to pay after. 

You will get treatment for free if you: 

  • Visit but live in a country that has an agreement with the UK. You can check this on the Government’s website by clicking here. 
  • Visit but live in a country in the European Economic Area (EEA). You must have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) that is in date. This card only applies to emergency treatment. 
  • Work or study in the UK. You need to prove you work for a UK-based company or are studying full-time on a course that lasts 6 months or longer. 
  • Are a refugee or asylum seeker. The UK Border Agency must be considering your application. 

Interpreter services

We can book an interpreter for you. This can be face-to-face or over the phone. We can also translate documents for you. 

Lots of languages are available. They include Bengali, Arabic, Kurdish and British Sign Language.

If you need an interpreter you should contact the person who sent you your appointment letter. If you don’t have an appointment you can speak to a member of staff in the hospital. They will arrange this for you.