visiting the doctor back home?

[Adam M 0]

Hi All,

I've been resident here now for 3.5 years, and due to a long-term health condition I often need to take antibiotics to avoid serious infections. Back in the UK, my GP used to prescribe a bottle of 300+ tabs to keep on-hand (they weren't dangerous ones) and gave me a list of when I should take them.

Well, since things work a bit different over here, I can't convince any doctor to prescribe me more than a single dose. As such, I have to go back time and again, each time paying the co-pay plus the prescription cost.

Does anyone know how I can make an appointment to see a UK doctor next time I'm over? I'm still a British citizen, but I am no longer registered with a GP there.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Adam.

[English Muffin 59]

Unfortunately, you would have to be resident in the UK to avail yourself of the NHS. Now that you live in the US you can only use it for emergencies if you happen to be in the UK when the emergency occurs.

[Gemmie 142]

Yeah, I was in the same position. I used to be prescribed medication for painful periods while living in the UK, and even when I moved TOWNS, they weren't happy letting me see my doctor. They did let it slide one more time, but there's no way I could get them now that I've left the country. I don't have insurance right now, so I'm holding on until I can be included on my husband's plan.

I think you'll just have to keep using the co-pay and going back here.

Edited February 23, 2010 by Gemmie

[SunDrop 59]

There's nothing stopping you from going back to your GP and seeing him privately.

When my USC fiance was over for nearly 6 months, he needed a repeat prescription for levothyroxine, since he's got hypothyroidism. We paid £20 for the appointment, £10 for his blood test and about £20 for a 6 month supply. The GP literally said, "How much do you want, since you're a private prescription, we can prescribe as much as you like."

ETA: Obviously the cost will depend on the medication, but for antibiotics, they can usually prescribe a generic and it's less expensive. If you want to PM me, I'd be happy to find out from the pharmacist what to expect cost-wise for your specific medication. I talk to them on a daily basis for work

Edited March 3, 2010 by SunDrop

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Just one question, how do they know?

For instance, my wife used to live at the edge of the city where there was a nice surgery and really good GP. Then I moved to her city and be moved into a flat in the city centre. So while I was stuck with a rather crummy surgery her GP still took her out on the edge even though she no longer lived near it.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_f...from_abroad.htm

How hospitals decide who should pay

Hospital staff will ask you whether you have lived legally in the UK for the past 12 months, when you arrive and whether you intend to stay permanently. The hospital will also ask for this information about your spouse or civil partner. If your dependant child is the patient you will be asked to provide these details about yourself. If you or one of these people have lived legally in the UK for the past 12 months or intend to stay permanently, you may be entitled to free hospital treatment.

You may be asked to provide documents, for example a passport, to show that you are in the UK legally.

If it is not clear whether you are entitled to free treatment, you will be interviewed more fully. Documentation and a medical opinion may be required.

In Northern Ireland, there is a more simple procedure to identify who should pay for treatment, and the above process may not apply. You may be asked questions to confirm your residency.

[SunDrop 59]

Just one question, how do they know?

For instance, my wife used to live at the edge of the city where there was a nice surgery and really good GP. Then I moved to her city and be moved into a flat in the city centre. So while I was stuck with a rather crummy surgery her GP still took her out on the edge even though she no longer lived near it.

GP catchment areas and obtaining NHS treatment by deception are 2 very different kettles of fish. The GP catchment area issue is now pretty much null and void, as patients have far more choice of GP, Hospital and route for treatment (private vs. NHS). It lays at the GP's discretion if they'll take you on outside of their catchment area, and most will especially if they're using a broad-coverage out of hours service. I technically moved out of my GP's area, and he agreed to it on the proviso that I understood that I couldn't request house calls. Since I'm neither elderly nor infirm, the likelihood of me needing one is slim to none, so I opted to stay with them.

The question really should be: is your GP willing to ignore the fact that you told them you were immigrating, you possibly told HMRC that you were immigrating, you haven't been paying any NI contributions for x months/ years nor have you been claiming any level of income support/ JSA benefit, you are not listed on the electoral roll and you haven't been registered on the council tax bill at your 'residence' despite being a UK citizen and claiming to be a UK resident in order to obtain treatment. Not to mention that your passport has a US visa stamped in it...

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_f...from_abroad.htm

How hospitals decide who should pay

Hospital staff will ask you whether you have lived legally in the UK for the past 12 months, when you arrive and whether you intend to stay permanently. The hospital will also ask for this information about your spouse or civil partner. If your dependant child is the patient you will be asked to provide these details about yourself. If you or one of these people have lived legally in the UK for the past 12 months or intend to stay permanently, you may be entitled to free hospital treatment.

You may be asked to provide documents, for example a passport, to show that you are in the UK legally.

If it is not clear whether you are entitled to free treatment, you will be interviewed more fully. Documentation and a medical opinion may be required.

In Northern Ireland, there is a more simple procedure to identify who should pay for treatment, and the above process may not apply. You may be asked questions to confirm your residency.

Have you ever been asked this though? I've had to show my NI card maybe once. And when I took my wife to hospital no one asked any questions. Sounds like there are rules in place but no one is enforcing them.

Edited March 7, 2010 by Sousuke

[SunDrop 59]

Have you ever been asked this though? I've had to show my NI card maybe once. And when I took my wife to hospital no one asked any questions. Sounds like there are rules in place but no one is enforcing them.

Not I, but my former roomie had to show her German passport, as she's Yugoslav but born and raised in Germany, resident in England. They wanted to make sure that she qualified for treatment on the NHS as an EU National because she'd been overheard speaking to her mother on her cell phone in an "Eastern sounding language".

If you wanted to work the system, as a UK citizen resident abroad, it wouldn't be hard to do and you're right, they most probably wouldn't check. But just as some GPs are charging their patients for immigration vaccinations, like MMR and others aren't, it would really depend on their attitude and your relationship with your GP and their staff as to whether you wanted to risk someone reporting it. And PCTs and Government agencies do communicate about "treatment seekers" by way of sending out alerts to the effect of "We have reason to believe that xyz person may seek treatment and/ or access to government services where they are not entitled to them. Please call such and such a number if they should present themselves." What I don't know is how they find out about said treatment/ service seekers.

[h1a1 5]

Have you ever been asked this though? I've had to show my NI card maybe once. And when I took my wife to hospital no one asked any questions. Sounds like there are rules in place but no one is enforcing them.

I saw my doctor in August for the first time in 5 years and nothing was checked.... not my address or anything. Sure I'm still local but I could have been living the other side of the country (or the world) and they wouldn't know.

[SunDrop 59]

I saw my doctor in August for the first time in 5 years and nothing was checked.... not my address or anything. Sure I'm still local but I could have been living the other side of the country (or the world) and they wouldn't know.

Except if you'd gone to them for your immigration vaccines/ boosters...

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I lived over there for 12 years with a very pronounced New England accent, which I saw no reason to modify nor disguise like some Americans (step forward, Madonna) since I'm not ashamed to sound like an unholy union between Thurston Howell III and a Valley Girl and sprinkle my speech with the word "wicked." Not once was I asked for my NI card (I still have my lovely plastic one in my maiden name). Sure, when I changed surgeries they would ask for my paper NHS card (which I could never find) but I'd just fill in my NI number on the application and that was that. I availed myself of services in surgeries, clinics and hospitals (both in casualty and through appointments) and no one ever questioned my residency or my right to services. And when my husband got his (free) jabs for the medical, they didn't make an annotation in his files that he was leaving the UK forever (I know this because we both requested copies of our medical files after we left).

That said, you will find me amongst the cheerleaders for the "don't use the NHS after you leave the UK, you freeloader" team.

[bakofoil 27]

Interestingly, my GP, knowing I was emigrating abroad advised me to return home for treatment "at some stage" because of the prohibitive cost of testing and treatment in the US for a non-urgent ailment we had discussed in passing. Her words were "just pop in to see me next time you're in the country". She knew I was emigrating, not because of the necessity to obtain an MMR and Tdap vaccine for my medical, but because I had requested additional evidence from her to support my visa application. I doubt having a vaccination record of the type required to emigrate to the US is damning evidence of your intent to leave the UK permanently.

I believe, if this policy has not changed over the past two years, GP's have the discretion to treat anyone as an NHS patient for non-urgent care. For urgent care cases the patient has to be treated until their health is stable enough for them to be discharged from hospital. I'm glad it is that way, that citizens and non-citizens alike have access to necessary medical care regardless of who is paying for it.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Interestingly, my GP, knowing I was emigrating abroad advised me to return home for treatment "at some stage" because of the prohibitive cost of testing and treatment in the US for a non-urgent ailment we had discussed in passing. Her words were "just pop in to see me next time you're in the country". She knew I was emigrating, not because of the necessity to obtain an MMR and Tdap vaccine for my medical, but because I had requested additional evidence from her to support my visa application. I doubt having a vaccination record of the type required to emigrate to the US is damning evidence of your intent to leave the UK permanently.

I believe, if this policy has not changed over the past two years, GP's have the discretion to treat anyone as an NHS patient for non-urgent care. For urgent care cases the patient has to be treated until their health is stable enough for them to be discharged from hospital. I'm glad it is that way, that citizens and non-citizens alike have access to necessary medical care regardless of who is paying for it.

Freeloader!

[bakofoil 27]

Freeloader!

Cheerleader!