What is healthcare in United Kingdom like?

Facilities and Health Information

While medical services are widely available, free care under the National Health System (NHS) is allowed only for UK residents and certain EU nationals. Tourists and short-term visitors will be charged for medical treatment in the United Kingdom. Charges may be significantly higher than those assessed in the United States. Travelers to the United Kingdom should ensure they have adequate medical insurance to cover the cost of any treatment received - please see additional insurance information below.

You can find detailed information on vaccinations and other health precautions on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website, which also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

Hiking in higher elevations can be treacherous. Several people die each year while hiking, particularly in Scotland, often due to sudden changes in weather. We encourage visitors, including experienced hikers, to discuss their intended routes with local residents familiar with the area and to adhere closely to recommendations.

Drinking Water Source - % of rural population improved

100%

Drinking Water Source - % of urban population improved

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2%

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

2.5

People Living with HIV/AIDS

85,000

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

2.77

Sanitation Facility Access - % of urban population improved

improved: urban: 99.8% of population

rural: 99.8% of population

total: 99.8% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population

rural: 0.2% of population

total: 0.2% of population

Sanitation Facility Access - % of rural population improved

100%

Infectious Diseases - degree of risk

note: on 31 August 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an updated Travel Alert for polio in Europe; the United Kingdom is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine

Disability Access In United Kingdom

Accessibility

In the UK, accessibility and accommodation for individuals with disabilities may be very different from what you find in the United States. UK law mandates access to buildings for persons with disabilities, and the government effectively enforces this requirement in practice. The law requires that all public service providers (except in the transportation sector) make "reasonable adjustments" to ensure their services are available to persons with disabilities.

Getting around in UK cities may be difficult at times since many sidewalks are narrow and uneven. Although the London Underground and the UK’s National Rail System are very efficient methods for traveling throughout central London and the UK, most stations are not readily accessible for people with disabilities. Very few stations have elevators, and most have stairways and long corridors for changing trains or exiting to the street. However, many UK buses are equipped with lowering platforms for limited-mobility or sight- or hearing-disabled travelers. Taxis are also a good means of transportation.

The Transport for London and National Rail websites provide information for passengers with disabilities. There are many other resources available on the internet for disabled persons traveling to or living in the UK.

Disclaimer

You are responsible for ensuring that you meet and comply with foreign entry requirements, health requirements and that you possess the appropriate travel documents. Information provided is subject to change without notice. One should confirm content prior to traveling from other reliable sources. Information published on this website may contain errors. You travel at your own risk and no warranties or guarantees are provided by us.

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