Airedale NHS FT - Information for International Staff: Things to do When you First Arrive
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This page has details of how to open a bank account, accessing medical treatments and healthcare in the UK, and UK mobile phone networks.
Opening a Bank Account
Information about opening a bank account in the UK is available in a leaflet by the BBA, the leading trade association for the UK banking sector. We are unable to recommend any individual bank and we would suggest you research which bank account would work best for you and your needs. However recently our staff arriving from outside of the UK have received great support from our local branch of Barclays bank. Please inform the recruitment team if you would like to be put in contact with them. Accessing Medical Treatment You will need to register with a General Practitioner (GP) when you arrive in the area. Registering for healthcare in the UK is done via a general practitioner (GP). You can choose your own GP practice, although some practices may refuse patients if they do not live in the local area or if the practice is too full. Registration is done at the surgery by completing the GMS1 form. You will usually need to provide valid identification such as a passport and proof of address, such as a UK utility bill. Find your nearest GP practice. You can also register with an NHS Dental practice. There are pharmacies and opticians located in Sutton in Craven and Crosshills, both of which are within walking distance of the Hospital. There are also a number of pharmacies and GP practices in Keighley. Find your nearest pharmacy Find an optician NHS England has this online guide which gives more details about accessing healthcare. UK Mobile Phone Network It may be useful to get a UK mobile phone contract while you are here, you can buy pay as you go or contract phones, or a UK SIM card to put into your existing phone. Lebara or Lycamobile tend to be the cheapest networks for international calls. but there are online comparison sites such as USwitch and Money Expert that can be used to identify the best current deal for your specific use. UK Visas This government website details all aspects of work and student visas . You may have to attend a local post office for visa applications. You can find a list of post offices along with directions and details of the opening hours and services offered at each post office. Nelson Post Office has been used by others successfully. National Insurance Number To work in the UK you need to have a National Insurance (NI) Number, it is against the law to work without a NI Number and so it is important to sort this out as soon as you get to Airedale. If you are joining us on a Tier 2 visa you will receive your NI number as part of your Biometric Residency Permit. |