Healthcare in London

The United Kingdom is home to the National Health Service (NHS), widely praised as one of the world's best public healthcare systems. The NHS is complemented by a wide range of excellent public hospitals, so if you are moving to London, you need not worry about finding adequate care.

As an expat, you may not be immediately eligible to use the NHS free of charge, however, and you may have to pay a visa surcharge. Once the surcharge is paid, you will be able to receive free or heavily subsidised healthcare. To find out more about this and how it affects your individual situation, visit the UK government website.

While the quality of care in public and private hospitals is on par, the NHS is notorious for its long waiting times, and comprehensive dental treatment isn't covered. To bypass this, you might prefer to use private healthcare. This can be expensive, though, so it is advisable to invest in a comprehensive health insurance policy to ensure that costs are covered.

Below is a list of some of London's top public and private hospitals.

Public hospitals in London

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

Website: www.chelwest.nhs.uk
Address: 369 Fulham Road, Chelsea, London SW10 9NH

Guy's Hospital

Website: www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk
Address: Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT

King's College Hospital

Website: www.kch.nhs.uk
Address: Denmark Hill, Brixton, London SE5 9RS

Private hospitals in London

Cromwell Hospital

Website: www.cromwellhospital.com
Address: 164–178 Cromwell Road, London SW5 0TU

King Edward VII's Hospital

Website: www.kingedwardvii.co.uk
Address: 5–10 Beaumont Street, Marylebone, London W1G 6AA

Highgate Private Hospital

Website: www.highgatehospital.co.uk
Address: 17–19 View Road, Highgate, London N6 4DJ

London Bridge Hospital

Website: www.londonbridgehospital.com
Address: 27 Tooley Street, London SE1 2PR

The Princess Grace Hospital

Website: www.theprincessgracehospital.co.uk
Address: 42–52 Nottingham Place, Marylebone, London W1U 5NY