Are you planning to move to London and wondering about the British healthcare system? When you move abroad, health is an important point to consider. In France, we’re lucky enough to have a health care system that protects the majority of people, enabling us to be treated in good conditions for very little money, or even nothing at all in some cases. This is more the exception than the rule in other countries around the world. Our British neighbors also have a public system, the National Health Service (NHS), which is the equivalent of France’s social security system.
As an expatriate no longer residing in France, you can no longer benefit from French social security. However, the CFE (Caisse des Français de l’étranger) can help you keep in touch with France to avoid a waiting period on your return. You may also decide to take out a private French health insurance plan: this will enable you to receive both public and private treatment. With private insurance, you can enjoy a better quality of life during your expatriation. It will also enable you to improve the care you receive in the event of illness, and the comfort with which you are cared for.
How the UK healthcare system works
The UK has a universal health care system, which provides reimbursements to UK residents. It is largely financed by taxes. However, these reimbursements are only made if you use the NHS public services. It is also possible to take out private insurance.
Health care is mainly decentralized, meaning that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make their own decisions on matters of health service organization. The government provides them with block grants, which enable them to arbitrate on decisions relating to their healthcare system.
How does the NHS work in the UK?
To be eligible for NHS membership, you must be an expatriate for at least 6 months. In order to benefit from the British public health care system, you will need to register with a GP (General Practitioner).
If you have any health-related queries, you’ll need to consult him or her before you can be reimbursed, and he or she will refer you to a specialist if necessary. You will only be reimbursed for specialist consultations if your GP has prescribed them.
In the event of an emergency requiring hospitalization, your care will be covered in most cases. For some services, a deductible may be charged to the patient.
Dental and ophthalmic services, on the other hand, are subject to a charge, so you’ll need to make your own arrangements if you wish to be reimbursed for them. They are never covered by the NHS, and the fees charged can be very high.
As NHS professionals are victims of their own success, waiting times for appointments are very long. It takes between 4 and 6 months to get an appointment with a physiotherapist. What’s more, in the public system, consultation time is often limited to 15 minutes.
If you can’t or don’t want to wait too long, you’ll have to go through the private sector, which will be more expensive.
The private healthcare system in England
As the public system in England is often saturated, you can opt for private health cover. Expatriates appreciate this alternative for its speed and quality of service. Doctors who are not affiliated to the NHS set their own fees. They often practice in private clinics or practices.
There are several advantages to using the private healthcare system in England. First and foremost, speed. The time it takes to get an appointment is much shorter. It can therefore be reassuring to go this route, as you can consult your practitioner as soon as the first symptoms appear. This is particularly important when you have young children.
While doctors in the public health system are competent, they are nevertheless short of time. A private doctor will give you longer consultations, and will be more available to answer patients’ questions.
It’s important to note that a consultation with a doctor outside the NHS can be very expensive, especially if you don’t have health cover.
Which insurance should I opt for as an expatriate?
Taking out private international health cover with an insurer will give you greater freedom, while reimbursing you for your expenses. You’ll have the choice of going to the practitioner of your choice, whether public or private, making it easier to book appointments. You’ll also be able to visit French-speaking doctors, which can help you better communicate your symptoms and understand your diagnoses, as the consultation will be in your mother tongue. You’ll also have access to services such as medical repatriation, teleconsultation, etc., which can greatly improve your quality of life.
You can also take out additional private insurance options to cover optical, dental and maternity expenses. Depending on your situation, these are very useful or even compulsory expenses. You can also take out health insurance to supplement the CFE (Caisse des Français de l’étranger) for healthcare reimbursement.
Health costs in the UK
We recently produced an infographic comparing healthcare costs in France and the UK. It shows that it’s better to get treatment in France than in the UK! A GP consultation in the UK costs £150, compared with €25 (£22) in France, and childbirth costs £12,5000 in the UK, compared with €2,400 (£2,111) in France.
Prescription drugs have a fixed annual price. For some drugs, part of the cost is covered according to the applicable tariffs. If you haven’t subscribed to a private health insurance plan, you may have to pay an additional amount.
Why have we decided to compare rates in the French “conventionné” sector with those in the private sector in the UK?
First of all, there is only one sector in France: the conventionné sector. What’s more, around 80% of expatriates choose to see a doctor in the private sector, because of the very long waiting times for appointments with NHS practitioners, and also because of the quality of service (an NHS consultation is timed, with a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes per patient). The rates shown are the average rates applicable in the UK. For any additional information, please contact our international health experts.
Exclusive santexpat.fr solutions
Since the Brexit, French expatriates have been asking more and more health-related questions. For example, is it still possible to use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)? The answer is no: the EHIC is no longer applicable for a stay in the UK. Since the Brexit, it is now impossible to use this European Health Insurance Card to access healthcare during a stay in London or in the countries of the United Kingdom. Since the withdrawal of the European Union, for any stay in our British neighbors, you will then need to take out travel or expatriate health insurance to be treated.
What’s more, santexpat.fr is developing a medical concierge system to enable French nationals who so wish to return to their country of residence and be cared for in the best possible conditions. We know that it’s sometimes reassuring to be treated by a doctor who speaks your mother tongue, or by a practitioner you already know. Our aim is to simplify patients’ lives by offering them a solution tailored to their needs, with a high quality of service. This medical concierge service is customized to your personal situation and the medical reason for your stay in France. A healthcare expert is on hand to monitor your file, so you can rest easy.
To ensure that you leave in complete safety, we recommend that you take out private health insurance before your move. Our experts will help you choose the right contract for your health protection in the UK or anywhere else in the world.
