"We can only see you privately."

I’ve been trying to register with a GP this week because I’m having some lady issues and I just wanted to add myself to the list of people who were told they could only be seen privately.

I phoned them up yesterday and the receptionist asked me if I had a job in the UK. I said no and then she asked why not () and I told her I was here on a Fiance visa. She didn’t even know what it was, but I’m assuming that since she had never heard of it, she decided I wasn’t allowed to use the NHS. So, she said “unfortunately, we can only see you privately. It will cost you 45 GBP for the initial consultation. 20 GBP for a prescription, if you need one and then whatever they charge you at the chemist. It will probably be cheaper for you to just go to the chemist and sort it out.”

Anyway, I’m going to try another place today, but is there someone I should call to inform about what happened? And just to double check, I CAN use the NHS on a Fiance Visa, correct?

Yes, you can use the NHS on a fiance visa.

I would try registering again, printing and showing them this page from the NHS website:

Are you coming to the UK to marry a person living in the UK?

From that page:

"A person who has been given leave to enter the UK by the Home Office to marry or become the civil partner of someone who is ordinarily resident here may be regarded as taking up permanent residence, and therefore exempt from charges for NHS hospital treatment."

and

"Can I access primary care services?

GPs have a measure of discretion in accepting applications to join their patient lists. It is advisable to approach a GP practice and apply to register onto its list of NHS patients. The practice may choose to accept or decline your application. An application may be refused if the practice has reasonable grounds for doing so. A practice would not be able to refuse your application on the grounds of race, gender, social class, age, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, disability or medical condition. If you have difficulty in registering with a GP, you should get in touch with your local Primary Care Trust (PCT)."

Unfortunately, this is a common problem as it seems as though many GP receptionists are unaware of this fact.

There are other rules whereby I believe that EEA citizens must have lived in the UK for 6 months before they can use the NHS and also certain work visa holders cannot use the NHS until they start working.

However, people on fiance and spousal visas are eligible to use the NHS from the day they arrive in the UK.

Thanks, ksand24. That's what I thought. 

You can also call PALS if you need more support around this with your GP.

I second calling PALS.  After having 3 separate surgeries telling me I was not entitled to services, I called the Scottish equivalent of PALS and they wanted to know the names of the surgeries who told me that so they could sort them out directly.  They also directed me to a fantastic surgery, who saw me the same day.

Thanks!