Living in the UK

Summary of sections: 

  1. Health (GP, dentist, optician information and registration, mental and sexual health support, carer support, registering births, deaths, marriages, civil partnerships etc)
  2. Housing (information on buying, renting, social housing, household services such as rubbish collection, information on fly tipping, etc)
  3. Education (information on early years, schools and beyond)
  4. Transport (using public transport, driving your own vehicle, etc)
  5. Information on other services such as Banking, using Post office, TV, Telephone, etc and Hillingdon People magazine, HillingdonFirst card

1. HEALTH

1.1. Registration with GP, dentist and optician

How to register with a doctor/General Practitioner (GP) 


You have the legal right to choose a GP practice that best suits your needs.

Try comparing GP practices according to facilities, services, access and performance before you decide.

Ask friends, relatives and others you trust for their thoughts and recommendations.

The GP practice must accept you, unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse you.

When you have found a practice you like, you'll have to formally register with it as an NHS patient by submitting a registration form to them.

When you have completed and returned the form, NHS England will transfer your medical records to your new practice and write to you to confirm your registration as a patient with that practice.

If you're registering a child under 5, you'll have the option of registering them for the Child Health Promotion Programme.

This means your child will be invited for regular health and development checks. Ask the practice for more details.


For more information on how to register with a doctor near you:     NHS website - How to register with a GP 




How to register with a dentist 


There is no need to register with a dentist in the same way as with a GP because you are not bound to a catchment area.

Simply find a dental surgery that's convenient for you, whether it's near your home or work, and phone them to see if there are any appointments available.

Dental surgeries will not always have the capacity to take on new NHS patients – you may have to join a waiting list, look for a different dentist who is taking on new NHS patients, or be seen privately.


You can find a dentist near you using the NHS website:    Find Your Local Service


If a dentist accepts you as an NHS patient, you will:


  • fill in a registration form

  • find out what NHS services the practice provides

  • find out which dentist will treat you

  • have a check-up

You can also ask to register your child at the same time.


If you still cannot find a dentist accepting NHS patients, call NHS England's Customer Contact Centre on 0300 311 2233.




How to register with an optician 


Opticians can test your eyesight and prescribe spectacles or contact lenses. 


You will have to pay for the eye test and spectacles or lenses, although you may be eligible for treatment at a reduced cost. 

 

You can find nearest optician on NHS website:  Find an Optician