Healthcare in Tilburg

In the Netherlands, you first need to go to a GP if you have health issues. This doctor can treat you straight away, or refer you to a specialist if that is necessary. If you need medical assistance outside of office hours or over the weekend, go to the out-of-hours GP service. Call 112 in the event of a life-threatening emergency. You are free to choose a GP of your choice in the Netherlands. But there is a severe shortage of GPs in the Netherlands, including in this area. Some GPs are temporarily unable to take on any new patients. So always check whether the GP can take you on as a new patient when you come to live in a new city or town. Check this on arrival, not when you need a GP.

GP practice

In the Netherlands, you first go to the GP, who will assist you further. For example, you can go to the GP for:

Physical complaints
First aid / minor operations
Stress, anxiety, insomnia and depression
Illness prevention, for example, the flu shot and quitting smoking
Support for chronic illnesses such as asthma, high blood pressure, or diabetes.

There are several GP practices in Tilburg and the surrounding area where you can go when you need a GP. As an international employee, you can go to the following GP practices, among others:

PrimaryCare for Internationals (PC4I) (located in Tilburg)
For temporary basic GP care. Your question will be answered by telephone. If a physical consultation by the GP is required, you will receive a referral for a consultation in Tilburg. Read more on the PC4I website.
The GP and assistants are used to working with patients from other cultural backgrounds. Telephone contact is possible in ten languages. In the Tilburg practice, Dutch and English are spoken. Where necessary, use is made of the interpreter telephone or a translation app.
Fonkelzorg (located in Den Bosch)
Fonkelzorg has set up a special care process for international employees or labour migrants. Multiple languages are spoken in the Medical Contact Centre (currently Dutch, English & Polish). If a physical consultation by the GP is required, you will receive a referral for a consultation in Den Bosch. Read more on the Fonkelzorg website.

If you have an appointment with a (family) doctor, it is important that you arrive at the appointment on time. If you do not need any more help or are unable to come, you let the GP know that you are no longer coming.

After-hours GP centre (Emergency)

Do you need a doctor immediately and is your own GP no longer available? Then you can go to the GP centre / Huisartsenpost. The GP centre is exclusively for emergencies. It is open every working day after 5 p.m. until 8 a.m. the next morning, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
You must first make an appointment by phone on 085 - 53 60 300.
When making an appointment, have your insurance details and the medicines you take to hand.

The address of the GP centre is:
Huisartsenpost Midden-Brabant
Kasteellaan 2
5141 BM Tilburg

Oral care

If you suffer from dental problems, you go to a dentist. The dentist will examine, diagnose, make a treatment plan and treat your teeth.
When you come to live in Tilburg, you register with a dental practice nearby. Then you can make an appointment with this practice when you need a dentist.
In the Netherlands, people visit the dentist and/or dental hygienist at least once a year for check-ups. Even if they don't have a toothache. The check-up is important to avoid having problems with your teeth. The dentist or the dental hygienist checks your teeth, molars and gums and cleans your teeth.

Pregnancy

On the website refugeehelp.nl you will find all the information you need about being pregnant in the Netherlands.

Life-threatening emergency

If you or someone else needs urgent medical assistance, call the emergency number 112. You should also call this number in the event of fire, or if you witness a crime. When you call 112, provide the following information:

What is happening
Where assistance is needed
Which emergency service appears to be needed: police, fire brigade, or ambulance.

Do I need to go to the doctor?

Sometimes it's difficult to decide whether you need to go to the doctor. Via the website www.moetiknaardedokter.nl you can answer a number of questions to determine whether you need to go to the doctor. In doubt? Then always call your own GP.