American Needs GP Help!

Hi! I'm an American who moved to the UK three weeks ago. I'll be here for a year with my husband's job. We have private insurance which pays all our medical bills 100%, but I'm confused about how to sign up with a GP. I tried to sign up with one earlier in the week, but they don't accept any patients that haven't been in the country for at least six months. Then, when they found out I had private insurance, it was a little bit of a different story. They decided I could sign up, but they said I would by on NHS for all GP visits until such time as I would need a specialist referral. Does this sounds like the norm?

I work in a GP so will check at work but was under the impression that if in the UK with a valid visa you can sign up with a GP straight away. Visits to the GP aren't usually chargeable unless things like medicals for stuff like HVG and social services. So does sound a bit like the norm will post later once I check it out

You might find this link and subsequent pages helpful.

http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=1086

You can also ring NHS Direct on 0845 4647 for more information.

My situation is kind of a strange one. We have international health insurance, so my husband's company is saying that we should register with a "private physician/doctor." I'm told that we do not see NHS doctors or use NHS hospitals b/c we have "no recourse to public funds" stamped on our visas. It makes sense to me, but I have no idea how to go about finding a private physician/doctor to see me and my family. I'm anxious to get the issue resolved, though, because I have two small children, and it's just a matter of time before I need to take them to the doctor for something or another!

Thanks so much to anyone who can help me.

I think you go to an NHS GP and see if they will see you privately... I would go to the nearest surgery to where you live.

You can find the closest one by clicking here http://www.nhs.uk/England/Doctors/NearestSearch.aspx and then doing a postcode search.

I would do this to make sure you get a bona fide doctor who is of good reputation...

Thank you for the link! Okay, so I understand now that GPs are GPs, no matter what the insurance/NHS situation. It's just that they will see you as private patients. Alright, let's see what I can get done with that information! There's one just right around the corner from my house, so I'll try it and see what I come up with.

even us brits who come back to the uk for a few weeks have to pay to be seen by anyone in the nhs. the rules for being in the uk for 6 months before its free again applies to us as well.

a bit sad when we think of all the money that we have paid into the system before we moved to the US.

I'm all okay with paying for it...That's what we're supposed to do b/c our visas are stamped with "no recourse to public funds." But I don't think the GP I'm dealing with understands that. Our company takes care of us and of the system b/c it pays and doesn't expect the UK/taxpayers to pick up the tab for it.