Life in the diaspora: Health and wellbeing – Navigating the NHS
By Mary Opii
One of my earliest surprises in the UK came when I registered with a GP (General Practitioner) for the first time. I couldn’t believe that consultations were free at the point of use. Back home in Nigeria, visiting a hospital usually meant paying cash up front, sometimes even before seeing a doctor. But in the UK, I walked out without paying a single pound. It felt almost too good to be true, until I learned about the waiting times.
The National Health Service (NHS) is one of the UK’s most talked-about institutions. Funded by taxpayers, it provides healthcare that is free at the point of access. For Nigerian immigrants, this is both a relief and a challenge. Relief because you don’t need to worry about immediate hospital bills; challenge because getting an appointment with a GP or specialist can sometimes take weeks.
A common shock for many Nigerians is the long waiting list. If it is not an emergency, you may have to wait days, or even months for certain treatments or referrals. Back home, you could walk into a private hospital and be attended to immediately, provided you can pay. Here, patience is part of the healthcare experience.
The NHS works well for emergencies; calling 999 or walking into A&E (Accident & Emergency) usually guarantees quick attention. But routine care is where frustrations lie. We Nigerians often struggle with this slower pace, especially when dealing with illnesses that we feel need urgent attention.
Another striking difference is the emphasis on mental health. In Nigeria, conversations around stress, depression, or anxiety are often brushed aside. In the UK, however, mental well-being is openly discussed, and immigrants soon discover services like counselling, helplines, and therapy, though, again, waiting times can test one’s patience.
With time, Nigerians in the diaspora learn how to navigate the system; registering with local GPs, using NHS 111 for advice, and sometimes turning to private healthcare when the NHS queues feel unbearable. The balance lies in knowing when to wait and when to seek alternatives.
For Nigerian immigrants, the NHS is both a blessing and a test of patience. It represents a shift from pay-as-you-go healthcare to a community-funded model. And while it may not be perfect, it is part of the bigger picture of adjusting to life in the UK.
