- Patient information
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- About the factsheets
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Health care for people coming to Scotland to work
What happens when I register as an NHS patient?
- When you go to the GP surgery, the staff will ask you for some personal information – for example, your name, address and date of birth.
- They will ask to see some documents to help them decide if you can register as an NHS patient. If you need hospital care, staff at the hospital will also ask to see these documents.
- If you are from the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, NHS staff will ask to see your
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
- If you are not from the EEA or Switzerland, they will ask to see documents that prove you are working in the United Kingdom. For example:
- your workers permit, and
- if you are employed, a recent letter from your employer, or your work contract, or a current pay (wage) slip
- if you are self-employed, invoices or receipts for your work
- if you are an unpaid volunteer, a letter from the organisation you work for that says what type of voluntary work you do.
The United Kingdom has special health care arrangements with some countries outside the EEA. If you come from one of those countries, you can get some health care from the NHS when you are in Scotland. For more information, call the NHS helpline on 0800 22 44 88 or ask staff at a GP surgery or hospital.
- If you don’t have the documents they ask for, staff at the GP surgery may not be able to register you as an NHS patient.
- If you receive health care from the NHS before you are registered as an NHS patient, you may be asked to pay for this. This may happen, for example, if you are waiting to get the documents you need for registering as an NHS patient. After you are registered, any money you have paid will be returned to you.
Page last edited: 21 April 2010