Help and support if you’ve recently arrived from Ukraine

General Practitioners or GPs are doctors that work in local surgeries to provide advice and help diagnose smaller medical issues (non-emergencies). Often, they will prescribe medication for collection from a pharmacy or pass you onto a specialist at a hospital if needed.

Outside normal working hours you can still phone your GP, but you will usually be directed to an out-of-hours service. The out-of-hours period is from 6.30pm to 8am on weekdays and all day at weekends and on bank holidays.

Use the link below to find your local GP surgery

Find a GP - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Please register with a GP as soon as possible. They will help with lots of health and care needs and they are the best way to ensure you can access the different services you and your family might need. To register with a GP, you can visit the practice centre or telephone them, and reception staff will be happy to guide them through registering.

You do not need proof of address or immigration status, ID or an NHS number. However, any medical background information you can provide will be helpful.

You are entitled to receive dental services from the NHS. Some treatments are offered at a reduced rate for NHS patients and some are free.

NHS dentistry is free when:

• The treatment is minor (for example to remove stitches, stop bleeding in the mouth or repair dentures)
• The patient is under the age of 18
• The patient is under the age of 19 and in full-time education
• The patient is pregnant or has had a baby in the last 12 months

To find a local dentist, visit: Find a dentist - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

For more information on dental charges and to see if you are exempt please visit Understanding NHS dental charges - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Other useful information related to accessing dental care can be found on Dental health: migrant health guide - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Pharmacists are experts in medicines who can help you with minor health concerns. They can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, tummy trouble and aches and pains.

Local pharmacies can be found online at Find a pharmacy - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Often your GP or hospital will send a prescription request for medication to a chosen pharmacy. When you collect your prescription, you will be asked if you are eligible for free prescriptions or if you usually must pay.

If you must pay the full amount, the current cost of a prescription in England is £9.35. However, you may not have to pay due to age, income or medical exemption.

To find out if you can get free prescriptions visit Who can get free prescriptions - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

If you experience problems accessing health care, additional help and support is available from:

PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) - email [email protected]
Healthwatch Bucks – email [email protected] or phone 01844 348839