Health and insurance in the UK: IGTV replay with Noemi

If you’re an expat or future expat in the UK, it’s only natural to ask yourself many questions about the UK healthcare system, even more so since the Brexit. We’ve organized an Instagram live in collaboration with Noemi_London, from the blog “bon baiser de Londres“. Noemi is an expat who has been living in London for several years. She shares valuable information and tips about her city through her blog and Instagram account. The aim of this live event was to answer questions from her community about healthcare and health insurance in the UK.

Understanding the UK healthcare system

During the discussion, we looked at the differences between the healthcare systems in England and France. For example, the advantages and disadvantages of CFE (Caisse des Français de l’Étranger) and NHS (National Health Service) in England. We’ve covered a lot of ground, and hope we’ve provided some useful answers. If you’d like to watch this IGTV replay entitled “The healthcare system in the UK” in full, in collaboration with Noemi_London, you can find it here :

To shed some light on the UK healthcare system and the distinctions between France and England, santexpat.fr international healthcare expert Raphaël sat down with blogger Noemi_Londres to discuss several key topics. Firstly, they explored the differences between the French and English healthcare systems. The steps involved in seeking medical treatment in England were also discussed. Raphaël was careful to point out the major distinctions between the two systems:

“In England, there’s the NHS, which is the public system that’s very good and virtuous, because it’s free, which means you can have free access to care in the public system. This is also one of the limitations of this system, unlike France, where you have freedom of choice”Raphael Le Bars – international health expert at santexpat.fr

The GP, the focal point of the English healthcare system

In England, it’s essential to note that access to free care means you don’t have the freedom to choose your practitioners. First of all, it’s crucial to understand that when you expatriate from France to England, you’ll be required to register with a General Practitioner (GP), which is the equivalent of your general practitioner in France. Your GP will be assigned to you according to your place of residence. If you have any health problems, you must consult your GP before being referred to a specialist. This is true if you want the system to cover all your medical costs.Noémie emphasized this point when she said:

“You have a choice of GP depending on where you live, but there aren’t many if you live in central London, for example, you have a choice of maybe three. And in fact, there’s a bit of a rating system, and you get to choose based on the comments. Plus, it’s possible to be turned away if they already have too many customers.”Noemie – from Instagram account @Noemi_London

The NHS continues to face significant challenges, including extended waiting times for consultations and treatment. In August 2024, the number of people waiting for elective care in England reached a record 7.64 million. This situation has led to reforms aimed at improving the efficiency of the healthcare system. This system of GPs allocated according to area of residence can lead to delays in obtaining an appointment for treatment in England, and the requirement to consult your General Practitioner before seeing a specialist, whether by choice or necessity, can further prolong delays, leading to frustration. International private health insurance, often referred to as “à la française”, offers real freedom of choice when it comes to practitioners. They also make it possible to consult a specialist without following the traditional care pathway, which requires you to go through your GP.

Private international health insurance in the UK

International private health insurance can offer you the possibility of consulting a French-speaking doctor. This can facilitate exchanges between you and your doctor. It’s worth noting that London has a large number of French-speaking doctors, most of them in private practice. On the subject of the NHS in England, Noémie also made the following point:

“The NHS does not cover dental and optical expenses. I’d like to point this out, because I wear contacts and I discovered when I arrived here that I wasn’t covered at all.” Noemie – from the Instagram account @Noemi_Londres

For an eye test, you’ll have to pay around £80, and the NHS system won’t reimburse you if you choose this option. During this webinar, Raphaël raised a very important point regarding Brexit. Indeed, he reminded us that,

“Since the Brexit, the European Health Insurance Card no longer works for returns to France. There are solutions for being covered only when returning to France through private insurance. At santexpat.fr, we’re working on just such a solution. Raphael Le Bars – international health expert at santexpat.fr

CFE, an attractive alternative for expatriates in the UK

During the event, our speakers also discussed the solutions offered by the CFE(Caisse des Français de l’étranger). Whether as your sole source of cover or as a supplement, whether you’re a student or planning to return to France, subscribing to the CFE can be advantageous in certain cases. Our advisors are here to guide you towards the solution best suited to your needs. Raphaël also discussed the possible differences between the various international private insurance contracts, including reimbursement rates, available formulas, and contract prices. He emphasized that our teams are on hand to support expatriates in their choices and in their care. He also explained in detail the process of taking out private insurance online via our website or by working with our experts, as well as the reimbursement process and file follow-up throughout the life of the contract. We touched on many subjects during this exchange. We’d like to thank Noémie for giving us the opportunity to talk to her community about health and health insurance in the UK. She concluded this IGTV with a word of advice to future expatriates:

“Make sure you do your homework before you leave, because health is one of the most important issues when you move to another country. First of all, there’s the language barrier. Noemie – from the Instagram account @Noemi_Londres

Raphaël and all our advisers are at your disposal should you have any further questions, or to help you take out health insurance for your France-England expatriation.