National Health Service

The National Health Service (NHS) was launched 60 years ago to provide free healthcare as a basic right to anyone residing in the UK.

NHS services include:

  • Hospital treatments
  • Doctors
  • Dentists
  • Opticians

Find out if you are entitled to free healthcare in Scotland

Registering for healthcare in Scotland

To qualify for NHS healthcare you need to register with a doctor working in a community surgery, rather than in a hospital. In the UK these are known as general practitioners, or GPs for short.

Find out how to register with a GP 

NHS prescriptions

While healthcare advice and treatment is free you will have to pay for your medicine.

A doctor will write a prescription note for the medicine which you take to a local pharmacy.

Each prescription currently costs £3.

Some people are exempt from paying prescription charges.

Those who do not have to pay include:

  • Children under the age of 16 (or 19 if they are in full time further education)
  • Pregnant women
  • People with certain long-term conditions, such as diabetes

Emergency appointments

If you need to visit your doctor you must make an appointment in advance, you can do this by telephoning your medical centre. 

Most medical centres will have time set aside for emergency appointments however if you need to see a doctor outside of working hours you must phone NHS24 on 08454 242424.

Dentists in Scotland

A local dentist can be found in the same way as a GP, but there are differences in how they deliver NHS treatment.

Once again, children, some young people and those on state benefits will receive free care.

Expectant mothers, too, are entitled to free dental treatment for a year after the birth of their child.

Opticians in Scotland

Everyone who lives in Scotland can get free eye tests under the NHS.

Children and people over 60 can also get help towards glasses and contact lenses.

Opticians can be found in most town centres.

Information about NHS Scotland

NHS Scotland employs around 158,000 staff including more than 47,500 nurses, midwives and health visitors and over 3,800 consultants.

In addition, there are also more than 12,000 doctors, family practitioners and other health professionals, including dentists, opticians and community pharmacists.