Young Wrexham

Health

The National Health Service (NHS) provides all UK citizens a right to free healthcare and whilst in this country this also applies to all EU citizens.

Visitors to the UK are not entitled to free healthcare and are expected to have medical insurance to pay for treatment unless it is from a hospital's accident and emergency department.

Asylum Seekers

• All asylum seekers and refugees have the right to free healthcare under the NHS whilst in the UK
• Asylum seekers whose applications to stay in the UK are unsuccessful are not eligible to healthcare unless their condition is life threatening
• The NHS provides successful asylum seekers with access to a doctor/GP, dentist, family planning clinics, social services and hospital care
• Like any UK citizen, asylum seekers have to pay for some health services, such as eyesight tests, some dentist treatment and certain prescriptions. If living in Wales however, all prescriptions are free
• If an asylum seeker or member of their family has any special or specific serious health needs then their case owner at the UK Border Agency should be informed

Registering for a doctor/GP

• All asylum seekers have the right to be fully registered with an NHS doctor
• There is no obligation or expectation of doctors to check the immigration status of a patient
• Under the Race Relations Act and Human Rights Act, NHS doctors should not discriminate against immigrants

Hospital Care

All asylum seekers whose claims are being processed are entitled to receive free hospital care. The following three questions are asked when registering for hospital treatment:

• Have you been living here for the last 12 months?
• On what date did you arrive in the UK?
• What is the basis of your stay in the UK?

This provides information for determining whether a patient is entitled to free healthcare or not.

• The hospital will ask for either a document which shows the patient has been granted, or is applying for, refuge in the UK
• Hospitals can contact the Home Office if a patient is unable to produce any documents

Help with extra health costs

• Asylum seekers who have no money and are receiving support from the UK Border Agency may be able to get free dental care, eyesight tests, help paying for glasses and free NHS prescriptions with a HC2 certificate
• The certificate is free, valid for six months and can be used by an any individual from a family seeking asylum
• The case owner, the person dealing with the asylum application at the UK Border Agency, can provide information about getting an HC2 certificate
• Asylum seekers who are not eligible for support from the UK Border Agency might still be able receive help with extra health costs by completing a HC1 form which can be obtained from their local Jobcentre Plus, NHS hospital or by calling the Health Cost advice line on 0845 850 1166

Prescription charges

• If living in Wales then there are no prescription charges
• If living in the UK but not in Wales then asylum seekers are allowed free prescriptions under the same conditions as other citizens. They must be aged under 16, under 19 if in full-time education, over 60 or holding an 'exemption certificate' on maternity or medical grounds