Was this right?
Apr 9th 2008 | 5:06 am
#1
Thread Starter
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 87
From: Victoria BC
Was this right?
Hi Everyone:
Just got back from the UK as my dear Mum passed away two weeks ago. Whilst dealing with everything that entails someone dying I started with a very bad cold (have to say it was bloody freezing in Pembrokeshire-but lovely as they were lambing) anyway, long story short, the cold went onto my chest and I suspected bronchitis. The day before returning home to BC I felt so bad that I needed to see a dr. Well, this is where it got loopy. Went to a doctor that has had my husbands Aunty as a patient for over 50years, asked if I could please wait to see someone. Told, no......we dont have people wait we will call you up on the phone if we can get someone to see you. As I didnt have a car that meant walking for over half an hour in the freezing cold to sit at my Auntys and then walking back again (with bronchitis) Still.... decided that that was the only thing I could do. Then was told it would cost me 35pounds to talk to a dr on the phone or 50pounds to actually see someone.....in desperation i agreed to this but was understandably worried at how much a prescription might cost me. Told them that I was a british citizen living in Canada that didnt matter at all. Anyway, never got to see anyone as they didnt have enough time for a doctor to see me. So...had to fly home feeling awful. What I would like to know is this....should I have had to pay at all? I still pay my national insurance but of course havent lived there for 12years. Not trying to be moany about it all just would like to know for future times that I might get ill.
Thanks for any input that anyone can give me.
Buggalugs
Just got back from the UK as my dear Mum passed away two weeks ago. Whilst dealing with everything that entails someone dying I started with a very bad cold (have to say it was bloody freezing in Pembrokeshire-but lovely as they were lambing) anyway, long story short, the cold went onto my chest and I suspected bronchitis. The day before returning home to BC I felt so bad that I needed to see a dr. Well, this is where it got loopy. Went to a doctor that has had my husbands Aunty as a patient for over 50years, asked if I could please wait to see someone. Told, no......we dont have people wait we will call you up on the phone if we can get someone to see you. As I didnt have a car that meant walking for over half an hour in the freezing cold to sit at my Auntys and then walking back again (with bronchitis) Still.... decided that that was the only thing I could do. Then was told it would cost me 35pounds to talk to a dr on the phone or 50pounds to actually see someone.....in desperation i agreed to this but was understandably worried at how much a prescription might cost me. Told them that I was a british citizen living in Canada that didnt matter at all. Anyway, never got to see anyone as they didnt have enough time for a doctor to see me. So...had to fly home feeling awful. What I would like to know is this....should I have had to pay at all? I still pay my national insurance but of course havent lived there for 12years. Not trying to be moany about it all just would like to know for future times that I might get ill.
Thanks for any input that anyone can give me.
Buggalugs
Apr 9th 2008 | 5:17 am
#2
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,020
Re: Was this right?
You are not entitled to free treatment on the NHS. Did you take out travel insurance, or are you covered by a company health plan?
Apr 9th 2008 | 5:25 am
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,713
From: Windsor, ON; Chicago, IL
Re: Was this right?
Sorry to hear about the circumstances of your trip.
Only emergency (A&E) treatment is free for non-UK residents, everything else would be paid for. Entitlement is based on residency, not nationality or contributions.
Having said that, I know expats who've returned to the UK to give birth, have operations for their infants, etc and haven't been asked to pay. If the GP/Trust is on the ball, they should be establishing entitlement but some of them aren't.
Only emergency (A&E) treatment is free for non-UK residents, everything else would be paid for. Entitlement is based on residency, not nationality or contributions.
Having said that, I know expats who've returned to the UK to give birth, have operations for their infants, etc and haven't been asked to pay. If the GP/Trust is on the ball, they should be establishing entitlement but some of them aren't.
Hi Everyone:
Just got back from the UK as my dear Mum passed away two weeks ago. Whilst dealing with everything that entails someone dying I started with a very bad cold (have to say it was bloody freezing in Pembrokeshire-but lovely as they were lambing) anyway, long story short, the cold went onto my chest and I suspected bronchitis. The day before returning home to BC I felt so bad that I needed to see a dr. Well, this is where it got loopy. Went to a doctor that has had my husbands Aunty as a patient for over 50years, asked if I could please wait to see someone. Told, no......we dont have people wait we will call you up on the phone if we can get someone to see you. As I didnt have a car that meant walking for over half an hour in the freezing cold to sit at my Auntys and then walking back again (with bronchitis) Still.... decided that that was the only thing I could do. Then was told it would cost me 35pounds to talk to a dr on the phone or 50pounds to actually see someone.....in desperation i agreed to this but was understandably worried at how much a prescription might cost me. Told them that I was a british citizen living in Canada that didnt matter at all. Anyway, never got to see anyone as they didnt have enough time for a doctor to see me. So...had to fly home feeling awful. What I would like to know is this....should I have had to pay at all? I still pay my national insurance but of course havent lived there for 12years. Not trying to be moany about it all just would like to know for future times that I might get ill.
Thanks for any input that anyone can give me.
Buggalugs
Just got back from the UK as my dear Mum passed away two weeks ago. Whilst dealing with everything that entails someone dying I started with a very bad cold (have to say it was bloody freezing in Pembrokeshire-but lovely as they were lambing) anyway, long story short, the cold went onto my chest and I suspected bronchitis. The day before returning home to BC I felt so bad that I needed to see a dr. Well, this is where it got loopy. Went to a doctor that has had my husbands Aunty as a patient for over 50years, asked if I could please wait to see someone. Told, no......we dont have people wait we will call you up on the phone if we can get someone to see you. As I didnt have a car that meant walking for over half an hour in the freezing cold to sit at my Auntys and then walking back again (with bronchitis) Still.... decided that that was the only thing I could do. Then was told it would cost me 35pounds to talk to a dr on the phone or 50pounds to actually see someone.....in desperation i agreed to this but was understandably worried at how much a prescription might cost me. Told them that I was a british citizen living in Canada that didnt matter at all. Anyway, never got to see anyone as they didnt have enough time for a doctor to see me. So...had to fly home feeling awful. What I would like to know is this....should I have had to pay at all? I still pay my national insurance but of course havent lived there for 12years. Not trying to be moany about it all just would like to know for future times that I might get ill.
Thanks for any input that anyone can give me.
Buggalugs
Apr 9th 2008 | 5:29 am
#4
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 30,771
From: Upstate South Carolina
Re: Was this right?
Sorry about your mum, but Bazz is right, if you arent resident then you are not entitled to non emergency NHS treatment as in the case of Canadian residents there is no reciprocal agreement in place. The years paid in NI paid for those years, not future entitlement.
If you still have your old NHS card and british accent you could of course try and pull a fast one and just be visiting from "out of town", but technically and moraly they were well within their rights.
You might also have been able to reclaim some foreign expenses back through your provincial plan, but its very hit and miss, and of course you need to pay up front for services.
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/..._services.html
If you still have your old NHS card and british accent you could of course try and pull a fast one and just be visiting from "out of town", but technically and moraly they were well within their rights.
You might also have been able to reclaim some foreign expenses back through your provincial plan, but its very hit and miss, and of course you need to pay up front for services.
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/..._services.html
Last edited by iaink; Apr 9th 2008 at 5:35 am.
