Dutch Healthcare in English: Practical Guide

The language barrier is a real practical issue in Dutch healthcare. It is not only about finding a GP. It is also about knowing what to say at a pharmacy, how to describe symptoms, and what to do when you end up in hospital without having planned for it.

This guide covers the practical side: finding English-speaking care, useful vocabulary, and what to do when English is not available.

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How the Dutch Healthcare System Works (The Part That Matters for Expats)

For the full picture, see the Dutch healthcare system explained guide and what Dutch health insurance covers. The short version:

The huisarts (GP) is the first point of contact. For most specialist and hospital care you need a referral from your GP, except in genuine emergencies. Thuisarts recommends registering with a GP as soon as you are settled, even if you do not need a doctor yet (thuisarts.nl/dutch-healthcare/choosing-gp).

You register with a practice yourself. You are free to choose a GP, but a practice may not take you, for example because it is not accepting new patients, you live too far away, or your insurer has no contract with it.

Insurance is mandatory. Anyone living or working in the Netherlands must take out Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering) within 4 months of arrival (government.nl). The Dutch health insurance guide covers the details.

Finding an English-Speaking GP in the Netherlands

Search Online and Check Practice Websites

Search for “huisarts” and your town, or “English speaking huisarts” plus your town. Practices often state on their own website which languages their doctors speak and whether they are accepting new patients. Thuisarts also says that if you cannot find a GP, you can ask your health insurer to help (thuisarts.nl/dutch-healthcare/choosing-gp).

ZorgkaartNederland

ZorgkaartNederland is an initiative of Patiëntenfederatie Nederland. It is an online platform with independent choice information about care providers, including patient reviews, and it also shows waiting times (zorgkaartnederland.nl). It is useful for comparing specialists and hospitals.

Expat Community Groups

Facebook groups and Reddit communities such as r/Amsterdam, r/Rotterdam and r/expats often have threads about English-speaking doctors. Treat these as leads to check on the practice’s own website, not as verified information.

What to Say When You Call

To check if they take English-speaking patients:

“Hello, do you have any English-speaking doctors? My Dutch is not yet good enough for medical consultations.”

To check if they are accepting new patients:

“Are you accepting new patients? I recently moved to [city] and need to register.”

If they answer in Dutch and you are unsure:

“Spreekt u Engels? Mijn Nederlands is helaas niet zo goed.” (Do you speak English? Unfortunately my Dutch is not that good.)

Registering With a Huisarts: What You Need

When you register, bring your ID and have your citizen service number (BSN) and health insurance details (name and number) at hand. Some practices let you register online. At your first visit, bring any medical records from your home country and a list of your medications (thuisarts.nl/dutch-healthcare/choosing-gp).

If a practice refuses you: If a GP refuses to register you without a good reason, you can contact your health insurer or the Zorgbelang organisation in your region (Thuisarts).

For urgent care while you search: The out-of-hours GP service (huisartsenpost) is for urgent matters outside office hours. It is not a replacement for a regular GP.

At the Doctor’s Office: Describing Symptoms in English and Dutch

Even when your GP speaks English, basic Dutch medical vocabulary helps, for example with a receptionist or a pharmacy assistant. Print this or save it on your phone.

Common Symptoms: Dutch to English

Useful Phrases at the Reception

At the appointment:

“Ik heb pijn hier.” + point to the area “Al [X] dagen.” (For [X] days.) “Het wordt erger / beter.” (It is getting worse / better.)

Asking for written information:

“Kunt u dit opschrijven?” (Can you write this down?)

Body Parts Quick Reference

At the Pharmacy (Apotheek): Getting What You Need

Prescription Medications

Prescriptions are usually sent electronically by the GP to the pharmacy of your choice, so you often do not need a paper prescription. Tell the pharmacy your name and date of birth. Register with a regular pharmacy: it keeps your medication record and can check for interactions with other medicines.

Over-the-Counter Medications

Some medicines are available without a prescription. Per the KNMP’s apotheek.nl, paracetamol (for most forms), ibuprofen 200 mg and 400 mg, cetirizine and loratadine do not need a prescription, and small packs are also sold in drugstores. Stronger doses and other medicines do need one: ibuprofen above 400 mg, for example, is prescription-only. The pharmacy can tell you whether something is safe with your other medication.

Generic medicines: The pharmacist may offer a generic (merkloos) version of a medicine. Ask whether it is the same active ingredient.

Useful Pharmacy Phrases

Asking for something OTC:

“Heeft u iets voor [symptom]?” (Do you have something for [symptom]?)

Asking about interactions:

“Kan ik dit combineren met [ander medicijn]?” (Can I combine this with [other medication]?)

Asking about dosage:

“Hoe vaak per dag moet ik dit nemen?” (How often per day should I take this?)

If you have a prescription:

“Ik heb een recept van mijn huisarts.” (I have a prescription from my GP.)

Requesting an English-Speaking Specialist

When your GP refers you to a hospital specialist, which hospital you can choose depends partly on your policy. With a contracted-care (naturapolis) policy, care at providers without a contract may not be fully reimbursed.

How to Request an English-Speaking Specialist

1. Tell your GP at the time of referral that you would like an English-speaking specialist.
2. Ask the GP to note it in the referral letter.
3. When the hospital contacts you, confirm language availability before your appointment.

Private and international clinics, especially in Amsterdam and The Hague, may offer consultations in English, but they may not be covered by your basic insurance. Check coverage before booking.

Hospital Admissions in English

During the Admission Process

Bring your:

• Passport
• BSN number
• Insurance card (zorgpas) or insurer name and policy number
• Medication list if applicable

If you hit a language barrier, ask explicitly:

“Heeft u een tolk beschikbaar?” (Do you have an interpreter available?)

You can also ask for information in writing, and ask a family member or friend to join you if they speak Dutch.

During the Hospital Stay

If you have a question and cannot communicate with the nurse on duty, ask for the charge nurse (hoofdverpleegkundige) or the treating doctor (behandelend arts). For planned procedures, you can ask in advance whether an English-speaking anaesthesiologist is available.

Mental Health Support in English

For context on what the system covers and the waiting list situation, see the mental health support for expats guide.

Where to Start

Your GP: According to Rijksoverheid, people with psychological problems get help via the GP, basic GGZ or specialised GGZ. The GP is the usual first step.

Directories: Psychology Today (choose the Netherlands) lets you look for therapists who work in English. Check with your insurer whether the provider is covered.

University counselling: If you study in the Netherlands, ask your institution about student counselling services.

Waiting Times

Waiting times for mental health care differ by provider and type of care. ZorgkaartNederland has a waiting-times section, and your insurer can help you find a provider with capacity.

In a Crisis

If your life is in immediate danger, call 112. If you are thinking about suicide, you can call 113 free of charge or chat online, anonymously, at 113.nl (the site has an English page).

Emergency Care in English

Emergency number: 112 (police, fire, ambulance), available 24 hours a day. In a medical emergency you are also told what to do until the ambulance arrives (thuisarts.nl/dutch-healthcare/in-case-of-emergency).

Essential emergency phrases:

Medical alert card: If you have a serious allergy or a condition such as epilepsy or diabetes, or take medication that emergency staff must know about, carry a card with this information. Your GP can help you write one.

Huisartsenpost (GP Out-of-Hours Service)

For urgent but non-life-threatening matters, call your GP between 8:00 and 17:00 on weekdays. Outside those hours, on weekends and on public holidays, call the out-of-hours service (huisartsenpost). You can find its number on your GP practice’s website or voicemail (Thuisarts). Call before you go: you are usually triaged by phone first.

Health Insurance for Expats: What to Compare

If you have not yet arranged Dutch health insurance, or are considering switching, key things to compare are:

• The eigen risico (deductible). The mandatory amount is €385 in 2026, and you can choose a higher voluntary amount in exchange for a lower premium.
• Contracted care (naturapolis) versus a policy with more freedom to choose providers. Restitution policies are no longer offered since 2025 (NZa), so check the policy conditions before choosing a provider outside the insurer’s network.
• Supplementary cover (aanvullend) for things like physiotherapy, dental care and glasses.

If you spend significant time outside the Netherlands, or are not yet required to take Dutch insurance, SafetyWing offers international health cover. Its Nomad Insurance has an Essential plan (travel medical insurance, up to 364 days at a time) and a Complete plan (ongoing cover), and covers 180+ countries, with US coverage as an extra (safetywing.com/nomad-insurance, checked 8 October 2026). It does not replace the mandatory Dutch basic insurance if you are required to have it.

Compare Dutch health insurance options with our Health Insurance Wizard →

Explore SafetyWing international health coverage

For a full breakdown of how Dutch health insurance works and what it covers, see the Dutch health insurance guide for expats and what Dutch health insurance actually covers.

Dental Care in English

Adult dental care is generally not part of the basic insurance: you pay per treatment or through supplementary insurance. For finding English-speaking dentists, see the English-speaking dentist guide for the Netherlands. If you plan to stay longer than a year, compare the dental modules of supplementary policies (coverage percentage and annual maximum) when you choose your policy.

Practical Tools and Resources

Finding care:

• ZorgkaartNederland — patient reviews and waiting times for care providers
• Psychology Today NL — therapist directory

In an emergency:

• 112 — ambulance, fire, police
• Huisartsenpost — check your GP practice’s voicemail or website for the local number
• 113 — suicide prevention helpline (free, anonymous; English page at 113.nl)

Health insurance:

• SafetyWing — international health coverage
• Health insurance wizard — tool to find the right plan for your situation

Practical Recommendations

Week 1: Register with a huisarts, even if you are not ill. Look for a practice that is accepting new patients.

Week 2: Register with a regular pharmacy near your home.

Month 1: Sort your health insurance if you have not already. Check that your supplementary package covers physiotherapy and dental care if you use those regularly.

On arrival: Save 112 and find the number for your local huisartsenpost. Put both in your phone before you need them.

For related guides, see how to find an English-speaking doctor in the Netherlands for more detail on specific cities, and the Dutch healthcare system explained for the structural background.