LJM

Hi there,
I am just about to move to Dubai with my partner to set up a buisness (we will therefore be self employed). I would really appreciate any information or stories of experiences about healthcare. With a reported change from healthcards to national health insurance how does this affect a UK ex-pats ability to receive prescribed medicine for existing conditions like diabetes?
Anyone with experience of this please let me know. Do you go back to the UK every so often to get NHS medicine or do you pay for it with GP prescriptions within Dubai? If so, are you insured for this by any company insurance?

No one seems to beable to give me a straight answer to this one!

Bob

Welcome to the site...can't say I can help much, but there not a link to somin' in the FAQ?

And NHS, well if you ain't a resident of the UK, you wouldn't be able to go pick up your prescriptions...and dont' they normally only give out a max of 3 months?

Bob

A simple google got this site:
http://www.middleeasthealthmag.com/

and another search site might be handy?

http://www.arabsites.com/

Heart of gold

There is private health care out here, with is usually part of the employment package.
Though not sure how it works if your self employed. Im with the AH, we dont pay for medicines for the kids though, as I am on meds myself and need them for life due to lack of a thyriod I get my meds free in the uk.
I refuse to pay for my meds though readily available over the counter here as are many other drugs, but Im still registered with a GP back home so they always give me ample supply.

Heart

LJM

Thanks Bob, really helpful. I did look at the FAQs and there wasn't anything in there (that I could find!)

LJM

Thanks for this. As I said seems there is no straight answer for this one. I'll keep in touch with UK GP's I think!

Palm Tree

We are self employed and are paying a hefty insurance premium with BUPA who seem the only once willing to pay for most things but the major problem seems with all insurances that they are unwilling to cover anything related to long term conditions, previous conditions and any problems that could arise related to your past such as in my case having had a cesarean, which wasn't even my choice. Any female related problems will not be covered as someone who had a C'Section will be considered high risk and they put a special clause in. Some people try to disguise their past problems but I know of people who were badly done by the insurance for it, as they always have someone to check up on you and find out about your past. There is an Iranian Hospital which seems chaotic but their charges are bearable. They offer a healthcard which cuts down their already low charges by half. I did visit there a few times, as my husband is mainly based in the UK and didn't opt for an insurance due to the high premium, so had to look to be treated somewhere reasonable. Despite not falling into the fancy category of hospitals, it always is clean and the doctors certainly seem very well educated. The hospital is sponsored by the Iranian Red Crescent. Children born at the hospital get any future treatments and vaccinations for free. Vaccinations is another thing that needs to be paid for and usually cost around Dhs 200 which as at the Iranian hospital it is maximum Dhs 50.

I would say, staying registered at your GP is your best bet. I had some pretty sad and life threatening experiences in the UK with healthcare, so despite having to fork out some money over here, at least I feel we are all in good hands and any symptoms are not just dismissed as 'nothing to worry about'.