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Health care in Scotland for UK passport holders living abroad
Is all health care free for people registered as NHS patients?
When I am registered as an NHS patient, is all health care free?
- No. If you are treated as an NHS patient, a lot of your health care is free. But you will need to pay for some things – for example, some dental treatment.
- The leaflet ‘A quick guide to help with health costs’ tells you if you can get free treatment or help with health costs. It is available from citizens advice bureaux and Jobcentre Plus offices. You can also find it on the internet.
Can my family get health care from the NHS?
- If you can get NHS care, your husband, wife or civil partner, and any of your children who are in Scotland with you, can get health care from the NHS too. The children must be aged under 16, or under 19 and in fulltime education.
What happens if I am not registered as an NHS patient?
- If you are not registered as an NHS patient, you can still get some health care from the NHS.
You can get medical insurance to help you with the costs of your care. To find out more about medical insurance, phone the Association of British Insurers (ABI) on 020 7600 3333 or go to the ABI website and follow the links to Private Medical Insurance in the Consumer Information section.
- Services that are free for everyone include:
- emergency care in a hospital (in the accident and emergency department, casualty department or minor injury unit)
- emergency care at a GP surgery
- emergency transport in an ambulance
- sexual health services
- treatment for some infectious diseases and sexually transmitted infections.
- If you need any other health care, and you are not registered as an NHS patient, you will need to pay for it. Staff at the GP surgery or hospital will be able to give you more information on this.
Page last edited: 27 January 2012