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Children's health in London

The NHS looks after children well, but it is nothing like French medicine: no walk-in community paediatrician, no carte Vitale, and a local family doctor, the GP, who opens every door. Here is how it works, with verified addresses and the official list of French-speaking practitioners.

Verified on 30 October 2026

How the NHS works

A tax-funded public system, free at the point of use, where everything starts with the GP. Private care sits alongside, mainly to go faster or to consult in French.

Good to know

  • With a visa, free NHS access comes from the health surcharge (IHS) paid with the application: no insurance is compulsory and there is no reimbursement, care is either free or it is not. Adults still pay for prescriptions, dentistry and eye care. Source
  • Everything goes through the GP: they treat children, prescribe, and refer to a specialist or hospital. There is no direct-access community paediatrician as in France; babies are followed by the GP and a health visitor, a nurse specialised in early years. Source
  • In England, prescriptions are charged per item for adults and free for under-16s, as well as 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education. Source
  • NHS dentistry is free for under-18s, for pregnant women and for 12 months after a birth; adults pay a banded charge. Finding a practice taking new NHS patients sometimes takes patience. Source
  • Many families add private insurance, often through an employer, to shorten specialist waits or consult in French. For French speakers without insurance and in difficulty, the Dispensaire français offers consultations at a token price with volunteer doctors. Source

Addresses

  • Dispensaire Français, Société Française de Bienfaisance

    184 Hammersmith Road, W6 7DJ

    Charity: volunteer French-speaking GPs and specialists (paediatrics, psychiatry, dermatology), physios, speech therapists and psychologists, by appointment Monday to Friday; free listening service for 13 to 25-year-olds; admin and social support.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Website Source

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Registering with a GP and baby check-ups

First health step, before anyone is ill: register the whole family with a GP surgery near home. It is free, online, and it triggers the NHS number, the app and vaccination invitations.

Good to know

  • Registration is done online on nhs.uk (about 15 minutes per person) or with a paper form at the surgery; you usually register near home and confirmation normally arrives within 5 days. Source
  • Children under 16 are registered by a parent, usually at the same surgery; bring their birth certificate or passport, proof of address and health record, and have your own ID ready. Source
  • The local health record is the 'red book' (Personal Child Health Record), given at birth: weight, height, vaccines and reviews are recorded in it. If you arrive with a child, your French carnet counts; ask the GP to copy across vaccines already given. Source
  • Until around age 2, development reviews (health visitor checks) are done by the health visitor, at home, at the surgery or in a children's centre, with a questionnaire to fill in before the 9 to 12-month and 2-year reviews. Source
  • Once registered, install the NHS App: appointments, repeat prescriptions, results and the medical record of each family member. Source

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Emergencies and children's hospitals

Two numbers to remember, and one reflex: for anything not life-threatening, 111 tells you where to go, day or night. The big hospitals have separate children's A&E, with their own waiting room and team.

Good to know

  • 999 is for life-threatening emergencies (serious accident, breathing difficulty, seizure that does not stop); for everything else, 111 assesses symptoms and directs you, by phone 24/7 or online. For a child under 5, call rather than use the website. Source
  • 111 can send you to an Urgent Treatment Centre (minor injuries, fever), get you an out-of-hours GP in the evening or at the weekend, or ask a pharmacy for an emergency supply of a regular medicine. Source
  • A&E departments are open 24/7 and triage by severity, not arrival order: expect to wait. Bring the child's medicines (creams and inhalers included) and their red book. Source
  • The hospitals below have a dedicated children's emergency department, up to age 16 or 17 depending on the hospital; choose the nearest to home, waiting times are comparable. Source

Addresses

  • Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, urgences enfants

    Emergency

    369 Fulham Road, Chelsea, SW10 9NH

    One of London's first 24/7 children's emergency departments, separate entrance to the right of the main entrance; minor injuries go through the on-site Urgent Care Centre.

    Website Source

  • Evelina London, urgences enfants de St Thomas' Hospital

    Emergency

    St Thomas' Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7EH

    24/7 children's A&E on the emergency floor of St Thomas', opposite Westminster, for children up to 17, with an adjoining short-stay unit.

    Website Source

  • St Mary's Hospital, urgences enfants

    Emergency

    Praed Street, Paddington, W2 1NY

    Children's department separate from adult A&E, first floor of the QEQM building, open 24/7; major trauma centre for north-west London.

    Website Source

  • King's College Hospital, urgences enfants

    Emergency

    Denmark Hill, Camberwell, SE5 9RS

    Emergency department for children and young people up to 17, dedicated reception within A&E, sensory room for children with additional needs.

    Website Source

  • St George's Hospital, Tooting

    Emergency

    Blackshaw Road, Tooting, SW17 0QT

    24/7 A&E with a separate children's department, one of London's four major trauma centres, paediatric surgery and intensive care on site.

    Website Source

  • The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel

    Emergency

    Whitechapel Road, E1 1FR

    Children's emergency department of one of the country's largest children's hospitals, within the Royal London, serving east London.

    Website Source

  • Whittington Hospital, Archway

    Emergency

    Magdala Avenue, Archway, N19 5NF

    24/7 children's emergency department in a separate area with waiting room and play corner, serving north London (Islington, Camden, Haringey).

    Website Source

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French-speaking doctors, dentists and therapists

The French consulate general in London publishes a list of French-speaking medical and allied professionals, updated in June 2026. It is provided for information only, without engaging the administration's responsibility, and the choice of practitioner is free. We list the London practitioners most useful to families; most work privately.

Good to know

  • The official list covers French-speaking GPs, paediatrician, dentists, gynaecologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, speech therapists, physios, midwives and osteopaths in the UK; it is the only public source checked by the administration. Source
  • These practitioners mostly work privately: consultations are paid, sometimes covered by private insurance. For NHS care in French, ask your surgery whether a GP speaks French, or go through the Dispensaire français. Source
  • The directories of London's French-language media (French Morning London, Français à Londres, lepetitjournal.com) complement the list with professionals who register themselves. Source

Addresses

  • Dr Élodie Morrison

    Paediatrician

    Earl's Court (SW5) et South Kensington (SW3)

    Paediatrician, consults at Médicare Français (Earl's Court) and the Kensington International Clinic (South Kensington).

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Website Source

  • Dr Zoe Bellamy

    General practitioner

    Earl's Court (SW5)

    General practitioner specialising in women's health, The Medical Chambers Kensington.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Source

  • Dr Isabelle Bénard

    General practitioner

    Earl's Court (SW5) et Kensington (W8)

    General practitioner, The Medical Chambers Kensington and Palace Gate Practice.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Source

  • Dr Henri Joubert

    General practitioner

    Earl's Court (SW5)

    General practitioner, Médicare Français, the French-speaking medical centre in Earl's Court.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Website Source

  • Dr Hélène Nguyen

    General practitioner

    Earl's Court (SW5)

    General practitioner, Cromwell Hospital.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Source

  • Dr Olivier Reymond

    General practitioner

    South Kensington (SW7)

    General practitioner, The Health Partnership, a stone's throw from the Lycée français.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Source

  • Dr Thu-Linh Allain Nguyen

    Dentist

    Kensington (W8)

    Dentist, Oracare Dental, Kensington High Street.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Website Source

  • Dr Marie Heintz

    Dentist

    Earl's Court (SW5)

    Dentist, The Dental Chambers Kensington.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Source

  • Dr Laura Sadone

    Dentist

    South Kensington (SW7)

    Dentist, Queens Gate Dental Practice.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Website Source

  • Dr Lucie Savatier

    Dentist

    Clerkenwell (EC1) et Bayswater (W2)

    Dentist, St Clements Dental Care (Clerkenwell) and Hyde Park Dental Clinic (Bayswater).

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Website Source

  • Dr Caroline Pontvert

    Psychologist

    Plusieurs lieux à Londres

    Adult psychiatrist specialising in perinatal psychiatry (pregnancy and postpartum); consultations in French and English at several London locations, volunteer at the Dispensaire français.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Website Source

  • Marie Beau

    Psychologist

    Brixton Hill (SW2)

    Clinical psychologist and psychotherapist for children, adolescents and adults.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Source

  • Aurélie Chesny

    Psychologist

    Chiswick (W4) et W1

    Psychotherapist for children, adolescents and families, Sparkling Minds Practice.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Website Source

  • Nethali Sabbah Lerner

    Psychologist

    Battersea (SW11)

    Clinical psychologist for children, adolescents and adults, London Child Therapy.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Website Source

  • Margaux Blanchard

    Bayswater (W2)

    Speech and language therapist, Le Cabinet Français: assessments and therapy in French, invaluable for bilingual children.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Website Source

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Pregnancy and maternity units

In the UK, pregnancy is followed by a midwife, with a doctor only stepping in when needed. You choose your maternity unit as soon as the test is positive, and refer yourself online.

Good to know

  • As soon as you know you are pregnant, you contact the maternity unit of your choice directly (online self-referral). The first appointment, the 'booking', takes place between 8 and 12 weeks; expect at least 10 appointments and 2 scans for a first baby. Source
  • Several big hospitals restrict self-referrals to residents of their boroughs or catchment: check the unit's area, or go through your GP for a referral. Source
  • Statutory Maternity Leave lasts up to 52 weeks, of which 2 are compulsory after the birth; Statutory Maternity Pay covers up to 39 weeks, subject to length of service, at a level well below salary after the first 6 weeks. Source
  • During pregnancy and for 12 months after the birth, NHS dental care is free, on presentation of the maternity exemption certificate. Source

Addresses

  • Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, maternité

    Maternity

    369 Fulham Road, Chelsea, SW10 9NH

    NHS maternity unit popular with west London families, hospital or home birth, fetal medicine unit; private Kensington Wing on the same site.

    Website Source

  • Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea et St Mary's (Imperial)

    Maternity

    Du Cane Road, W12 0HS et Praed Street, W2 1NY

    Two NHS maternity units rated 'outstanding', with midwife-led birth centres and delivery suites for higher-risk pregnancies; self-referral open to residents of north-west and north-central London.

    Website Source

  • UCLH, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing

    Maternity

    25 Grafton Way, Bloomsbury, WC1E 6DB

    Central London NHS maternity with a birthing centre (two pools) and neonatal intensive care; self-referral limited to the five north-central boroughs and nearby Westminster streets.

    Website Source

  • St Thomas' Hospital (Guy's and St Thomas'), maternité

    Maternity

    Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7EH

    NHS maternity opposite Westminster: labour ward for complex births and planned caesareans, midwife-led 'home from home' birth centre, self-referral online or via the GP.

    Website Source

  • The Portland Hospital

    Maternity

    205-209 Great Portland Street, W1W 5AH

    The country's only private hospital dedicated to women and children: maternity, paediatrics and neonatology; paid consultations, often through private insurance.

    Website Source

  • Pauline Fétu, sage-femme

    Earl's Court (SW5)

    French-speaking midwife on the consulate's list, consults at Médicare Français: preparation, follow-up and questions in French alongside NHS care.

    Languages spoken : FR, EN

    Website Source

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Pharmacies and medicines

Chemists are everywhere, including in supermarkets, and the pharmacist has more leeway than in France: they can treat some common childhood conditions without a prescription. On the other hand, Doliprane does not exist, look for paracetamol.

Good to know

  • To find a pharmacy and its hours, including late evenings, use the NHS directory; at night or on a bank holiday, 111 tells you which pharmacy is open and can arrange an emergency supply of a regular medicine. Source
  • Pharmacy First: most pharmacies can supply prescription treatment, without seeing the GP, for earache (ages 1 to 17), impetigo, infected insect bites (from age 1), sore throat (from 5) or sinusitis (from 12). Call ahead to check. Source
  • Equivalents: paracetamol (Calpol syrup for children) for Doliprane, ibuprofen (Nurofen for Children) for Advil, saline solution for sérum physiologique, teething gel for teeth. Many of these are sold off the shelf in supermarkets; Spasfon and many French syrups have no equivalent.
  • A prescription issued in France or the European Economic Area can be dispensed in the UK if the pharmacist can identify the prescriber and their qualification, but they are not obliged to and controlled drugs are excluded: the simplest is to have the treatment renewed by your GP. Source
  • NHS prescriptions are charged per item for adults (a prepayment certificate is better value for regular treatment) and free for children; a prescription stays valid for 6 months. Source

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Vaccines: how the schedule differs from France

The British schedule broadly resembles the French one, with three differences that surprise: nothing is compulsory, chickenpox has been vaccinated since 2026, and flu is given every year at school, by nasal spray.

Good to know

  • No vaccine is compulsory in the UK, neither for school nor nursery: the GP invites you to the scheduled appointments and catches up on what is missing. In France, eleven vaccinations are compulsory for young children. Source
  • Baby: 6-in-1 at 8, 12 and 16 weeks with rotavirus, MenB and pneumococcal; at 1 year, MMRV, pneumococcal and MenB; since January 2026, a new 18-month appointment adds a 4th 6-in-1 dose and the 2nd MMRV dose. Source
  • MMRV replaces MMR: it also protects against chickenpox, which is not in the French schedule. A one-dose catch-up is offered to children born between 2020 and August 2022 who have not had chickenpox, between November 2026 and March 2028. Source
  • Every winter, the flu vaccine is offered free, mostly as a nasal spray, to all children from age 2 to the end of secondary school (Year 11), at the surgery then at school. Source
  • At school: HPV for girls and boys at 12 to 13 (Year 8), then the 3-in-1 booster (tetanus, diphtheria, polio) and MenACWY at 14, given by school vaccination teams. Source
  • BCG is not routine: it is offered at around 4 weeks to at-risk babies (high-TB areas, family from an affected country). Bring the French health record to the GP so that doses already given are recorded and the schedule adjusted. Source

Go further

These landmarks do not replace the advice of a health professional. In an emergency, call the local emergency number shown above.

A place has closed, something has changed? Tell us: the mums of London will thank you.

Sources for this page

The public pages these landmarks come from. The official website always prevails.

  1. 1 Consulat général de France à Londres, professions médicales et paramédicales francophones
  2. 2 Consulat général de France à Londres, le Dispensaire français
  3. 3 NHS, s'inscrire chez un GP
  4. 4 NHS, calendrier vaccinal
  5. 5 NHS, quand utiliser le 111
  6. 6 GOV.UK, surcharge santé des visas
  7. 7 Evelina London, urgences enfants
  8. 8 GOV.UK, ordonnances délivrées dans l'EEE

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