The United Kingdom is home to the National Health Service (NHS), widely praised as one of the world's best public healthcare systems. The NHS is complemented by a wide range of excellent public hospitals, so expats moving to London need not worry about finding adequate care.

Not all expats will be immediately eligible to use the NHS, however, and some may have to pay a visa surcharge. Once the surcharge is paid, the visa holder is able to receive free or heavily subsidised healthcare. To find out more about this and how it affects their individual situation, expats should visit the UK government website.

While the quality of care in public and private hospitals is on par, the NHS is notorious for its long waiting times, and comprehensive dental treatment isn't covered. To bypass this, some expats prefer to use private healthcare. This can be expensive, though, so expats are advised to invest in a comprehensive health insurance policy to ensure that costs are covered.

Below is a list of some of London's top public and private hospitals.

Public hospitals in London

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

Website: www.chelwest.nhs.uk
Address: 369 Fulham Road, Chelsea, London SW10 9NH

Guy's Hospital

Website: www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk
Address: Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT

King's College Hospital

Website: www.kch.nhs.uk
Address: Denmark Hill, Brixton, London SE5 9RS

Royal Brompton Hospital

Website: www.rbht.nhs.uk
Address: Sydney Street, Chelsea, London SW3 6NP

St Bartholemew's Hospital

Website: www.bartshealth.nhs.uk
Address: West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE

Private hospitals in London

Cromwell Hospital

Website: www.cromwellhospital.com
Address: 164–178 Cromwell Road, London SW5 0TU

King Edward VII's Hospital

Website: www.kingedwardvii.co.uk
Address: 5–10 Beaumont Street, Marylebone, London W1G 6AA

Highgate Private Hospital

Website: www.highgatehospital.co.uk
Address: 17–19 View Road, Highgate, London N6 4DJ

London Bridge Hospital

Website: www.londonbridgehospital.com
Address: 27 Tooley Street, London SE1 2PR

The Princess Grace Hospital

Website: www.theprincessgracehospital.co.uk
Address: 42–52 Nottingham Place, Marylebone, London W1U 5NY

Further reading

► For a more comprehensive overview of the country's healthcare system read the Healthcare in the United Kingdom page

Are you an expat living in London?

Expat Arrivals is looking for locals to contribute to this guide, and answer forum questions from others planning their move to London. Please contact us if you'd like to contribute.