Astraman

We are maybe thinking of returning to the UK after nearly 4 years in NZ, what worries me is that we have been told that if we were to need operations ,or any Healthcare in the first year of returning we would be denied this.

How do we get on for registering with a doctor again and receiving prescription medicines.

Also we have private Healthcare here in NZ that we transferred from Bupa to Southern Cross, would be able to transfer back to Bupa no problems.

Any replies would be much appreciated.

Beedubya

In April 2009 I returned to the UK after being in Australia for 28 years. I registered with the local GP, the receptionist asked for my previous address in England and that was that.

I did visit the doctor and a podiatrist all for free and no further questions asked.

As you have only been in NZ for 4 years I don't see any problems.

I don't know anything about Bupa, wouldn't you be better advised to ask them yourself?

luvwelly

So long as you have returned with the intention of staying, you are covered for NHS care as soon as the plane lands at the UK airport, you register with your local GP and take it from there.
I am also in NZ and have BUPA International cover provided by OH's employer but when we return to UK, we will just use NHS for medicine (my ageing family in UK all seem to get seen eventually on it - whereas in NZ waiting lists are very long in public system).

BUPA in UK will likely exclude your pre-existing conditions which is the reason we all of us eventually need a state system to fall back upon. TBH in UK I had BUPA as part of my job and hardly used it. If a waiting list in NHS was too long for sth like an MRI scan, we'd just pay privately for that - much cheaper than paying in month after month for zero use. I left UK 7 years ago.

Astraman

Thanks Guys.

brits1

After 12 years in Aus...I just went to the local surgery in the area we are renting, I filled in forms for the family and gave our last address in the UK and hey presto no problems....I have even enrolled us all at an NHS Dentist and already had a check up....

BristolUK

Just incredible how such rubbish is passed on isn't it?

Probably somebody somewhere had immigration restrictions before having them lifted due to a change of immigration status and passed individual and specific circumstances off as the norm.

Lothianlad

NHS Dentists are quite difficult to find here in the UK now. The majority of UK dentists now only accept private patients...NHS dentits do exists but are pretty thin on the ground....it may vary from area to area, I'm not sure.

Apart from that the NHS is universal but the whole administration of the UK NHS is now changing with new systems in operation and further Government reviews are imminent. David Cameron has issued "categorical assurances" that the entire NHS will remain "universal and open to all who qualify for it"...apart from dentistry I suppose but he did not mention that.

I pay £23.00 per month to the Denplan scheme - all I need are twice yearly check ups, polishing and "tidying up" as all my teeth are in good order and I'm lucky as they are all straight and even and well, in very good nick. I'd like all Americans to know that - their perception of overall British gnashers is a load of ****.

Beedubya

[QUOTE=Lothianlad;9427777]NHS Dentists are quite difficult to find here in the UK now. The majority of UK dentists now only accept private patients...NHS dentits do exists but are pretty thin on the ground....it may vary from area to area, I'm not sure.

Apart from that the NHS is universal but the whole administration of the UK NHS is now changing with new systems in operation and further Government reviews are imminent. David Cameron has issued "categorical assurances" that the entire NHS will remain "universal and open to all who qualify for it"...apart from dentistry I suppose but he did not mention that.

I pay £23.00 per month to the Denplan scheme - all I need are twice yearly check ups, polishing and "tidying up" as all my teeth are in good order and I'm lucky as they are all straight and even and well, in very good nick. I'd like all Americans to know that - their perception of overall British gnashers is a load of ****.[/QUOTE]


That may be a hangover from WW2 and the days of rationing?? All the youngsters I see out and about have nice straight white teeth too.

Mummy in the foothills

True. I've seen more people with black nasty teeth, missing teeth or no teeth here than I ever did in UK,(young people too) I was even asked if I'd had braces on my straight teeth, heck no I told them, thats an American thing, for the teeth obsessed.

Squirrel

It's the admin people at some GP surgeries that don't know the rules properly. When my DH first moved to the UK from the US on a Fiance visa, my doctor's wouldn't let him sign up saying he had to wait until he had a visa longer than 6 months ie Spouse visa. I think they were getting muddled because the Fiance visa is the one exception to the 6 month rule as it leads directly to a Spouse visa. So they should have let him register. However I didn't kickk up a fuss because:

1) We were marrying only a few weeks later#

2) They said he could still see the doctor in an emergency

3) They were actually full up and not taking new patients at the time but said they'd do me a favour as it made sense for him to be at the same doctors as me

If anyone moves with a foreign spouse on a Fiance visa, they ARE entitled to register right away.

Astraman

Thankyou for all the replies.

It seems pretty straightforward, just one thing crossed my mind though, when we went to hospital for my OH to have her last appointment, why do they ask you if you have lived in the UK for the last 12 months if you are quite clearly a British Citizen. It seems odd to ask this if you are entitled to treatment no matter what.

BristolUK

Maybe if you can say "yes" to that they readily accept you are resident with no further question. If it's a "no" maybe they just have to be a bit more satisfied that you really are back and not just visiting. Although if that was the reason a shorter period would make a bit more sense.

Or someone is asking the question based on the same nonsense raised in the earlier post.

aries

Yesterday I spoke on the phone with the patient advisor of a hospital in the south of England, and she assured me that all I need to do to access their services and specialists, is sign on with a local GP who would refer me. Emergency treatment is automatic.

brits1

I know we are lucky to have a NHS dentist, after spending a small fortune each year for just a check up and a polish...its brill now to pay a fraction of the cost AND our dentist is just lovely...its also nice to know that we can go every six months for check up's and not think of taking out a mortgage to do so!!!!!!!!! and (touch wood) we also have good teeth...

brits1

[QUOTE=Mummy in the foothills;9427850] True. I've seen more people with black nasty teeth, missing teeth or no teeth here than I ever did in UK,(young people too) I was even asked if I'd had braces on my straight teeth, heck no I told them, thats an American thing, for the teeth obsessed.[/QUO

When we first arrived in Aus we were amazed at the amount of adults with missing teeth etc....after a while you dont really notice it though but after a few weeks here in the UK our youngest mentioned how he hardly saw people with missing teeth....