Find the right healthcare, fast.
Search NHS and private hospitals, GP surgeries, care homes and dentists near you — free, no sign-up. Plus plain-English health guides, and independent health insurance comparison if you want it.
- Every UK nation covered
- Official CQC ratings included
- Clear, jargon-free guides
- Insurance comparison, entirely optional
Or browse health guides · compare insurance
Wherever you're starting from, we can help you find it
The UK's directory of private and NHS healthcare — search by postcode or browse the guides.
Hospitals
Search 988+ private hospitals and NHS trusts by postcode, or browse full profiles.
Search hospitals →GP Surgeries
Find NHS GP practices near a postcode from 7918 registered surgeries across the UK.
Search GP surgeries →Care Homes
16721 residential and nursing care homes, with official CQC ratings for England.
Search care homes →Health Insurance
Optional: compare cover and prices from the UK's leading insurers, side by side.
Compare insurers →100 health guides, explained simply
Symptoms, treatments, NHS waiting times and what going private costs — no jargon.
Health & healthcare news
Plain-English explainers on how NHS waiting times, private health insurance and healthcare providers actually work.
Why Choice and Speed Now Matter More
Waiting lists are prompting more UK patients to look at private healthcare — not as a replacement for the NHS, but as a second route to faster answers.
Read the guide →The NHS 18-Week Target Explained: Are You Being Seen on Time?
The NHS Constitution promises treatment within 18 weeks of referral. Here's what the target actually requires, how often it's met, and what to do if you've been waiting longer.
Read the guide →Employer Health Insurance vs Buying Your Own: What's the Difference?
Around three-quarters of UK private medical insurance is bought through employers. Here's how employer-provided cover differs from an individual policy — and what happens if you leave your job.
Read the guide →Healthcare near you, city by city
Private hospitals, consultants, GP services and care homes — explored by location.
Also weighing up private health insurance?
The median NHS wait is now 12.4 weeks — private treatment typically starts with a consultant appointment within days. Entirely optional, but worth a look.
Median wait from GP referral to treatment. Routine surgery such as hip or knee replacement often takes 6–12 months at many trusts.
Typical wait to see a consultant privately, with diagnostics in 1–2 weeks and most planned surgery within 2–6 weeks.
Popular guides: hip replacement waits · knee surgery · cataract surgery · hernia repair · full waiting times report
The UK's leading health insurers, reviewed
Every insurer has different underwriting, hospital lists and no-claims rules. Our reviews explain the differences that actually matter.
Bupa
The UK's best-known health insurer, with its own hospitals and clinics and market-leading mental health cover.
From £42/month
Read our Bupa review →AXA Health
A flexible, modular plan from one of the world's largest insurers, with a shorter three-year moratorium than most rivals.
From £45/month
Read our AXA Health review →Aviva
Comprehensive core cover with unlimited outpatient options and more ways to trim the premium than most rivals.
From £50/month
Read our Aviva review →Vitality
Health insurance with a rewards engine — healthy habits earn discounts on premiums and perks from brands like Apple and Caffè Nero.
From £54/month
Read our Vitality review →WPA
A not-for-profit insurer with the market's best customer satisfaction scores and access to over 1,000 hospitals.
From £45/month
Read our WPA review →The Exeter
A friendly society with the most protective no-claims discount in the market and unlimited app-based GP access.
From £53/month
Read our The Exeter review →Frequently asked questions
Is Dr Compare an NHS or private service?
Neither on its own — we're an independent comparison and information service. We help you find NHS and private hospitals, GP practices, care homes and dentists near you, and separately let you compare private health insurance if you want faster access to treatment. Using the directories doesn't cost anything and doesn't require signing up for insurance.
How do I find a hospital, GP, care home or dentist near me?
Use the postcode search on the homepage or on any of the Find a Hospital, Find a GP, Find a Care Home or Find a Dentist pages — enter a UK postcode and we'll rank the nearest matches by real distance, with address and (where available) phone number for each.
Where does the data come from?
It varies by list and nation, since each part of the UK regulates and records healthcare differently: hospitals and GP practices from NHS England/Scotland/Wales/NI data and the CQC; care homes and dentists from the CQC in England, Public Health Scotland and HSCNI. Each directory page states its specific source.
Do I have to buy insurance to use the search tools?
No. The hospital, GP, care home and dentist directories are free to browse and search with no sign-up. Comparing health insurance is a separate, optional part of the site.