Health emergency & advice numbers
| Emergencies | 999 (or 112, which is the pan-European equivalent) |
|---|---|
| Non-emergency medical | 111 (for non-urgent medical advice) |
| Citizens Advice Bureau | 0800 144 8848 or visit citizensadvice.org.uk/health (for free and impartial advice) |
| Samaritans | 116 123 or visit samaritans.org (for people suffering from serious emotional upset who need someone to talk to) |
Accident and emergency (A&E) departments
Here’s a list of London hospitals with 24-hour A&E departments. These are for meant for life-threatening injuries and illnesses that cannot possibly wait.
| Chelsea & Westminster Hospital | 369 Fulham Road, Chelsea; Tel: 0203 315 8000 |
|---|---|
| King’s College Hospital | Denmark Hill, Camberwell; Tel: 0203 299 9000 |
| Royal Free Hospital | Pond Street, Hampstead; Tel: 0207 794 0500 |
| Royal London Hospital | Whitechapel Road, Whitechapel; Tel: 0207 377 7000 |
| St. Mary’s Hospital | Praed Street, Paddington; Tel: 0203 312 6666 |
| St. Thomas’s Hospital | Westminster Bridge Road, Westminster; Tel: 0207 188 7188 |
| University College Hospital | 235 Euston Road, Euston; Tel: 0203 456 7890 |
Emergency eye treatment
For people who need need emergency eye treatment that cannot possibly wait.
| Moorfields Eye Hospital | 162 City Road; Tel: 0207 566 2345 |
|---|
NHS walk-in centres for non-emergencies
NHS walk-in health centres provide treatment for minor injuries. You do not need an appointment, and you will be treated by a nurse.
| Charing Cross Hospital | Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith; Tel: 0208 846 1005 |
|---|---|
| Chelsea & Westminster Hospital | 369 Fulham Road, Chelsea; Tel: 0203 315 8080 |
| King’s College Hospital | Denmark Hill, Camberwell; Tel: 0203 299 9000 |
| Royal Free Hospital | Pond Street, Hampstead; Tel: 0207 794 0500 |
| Royal London Hospital | Whitechapel Road, Whitechapel |
| St. Mary’s Hospital | Praed Street, Paddington; Tel: 0203 312 5758 |
| St. Thomas’s Hospital | Westminster Bridge Road, Westminster; Tel: 0207 188 7188 |
| University College Hospital | 235 Euston Road, Euston; Tel: 0203 456 7890 |
Do tourists get free health care on the NHS?
Tourists can get free health care on the NHS under certain circumstances. Hospital treatment is free for people who are “ordinarily resident” in the UK, which means that you ̶must be living in the UK on a lawful and properly settled basis for the time being”. You may be asked to provide proof of this.
If you have a visitor visa, or a visa that lasts for less than 6 months, then you will typically need to pay for your healthcare treatment at the time you have it.
If you’re visiting the UK for more than 6 months and you have a valid visa then you’ll be entitled to NHS hospital treatment on a similar basis to a UK resident, provided that you pay an ‘immigration health surcharge’.
Everybody else should make sure they have adequate healthcare insurance.
More detailed informaton for overseas visitors can be found at nhs.uk/nhs-services.