Healthcare in Ireland
 

As a lifelong UK citizen abroad, I'm wondering how the healthcare system in Ireland compares with the NHS in the UK. If not qualifying for the Irish system's Medical Card, I see there are basic fees for most medical services versus completely free with the NHS. Are these fees ponderous or instead manageable? Also, is the quality of healthcare considered equivalent?

As longtime in planning a move to the British Isles, I'm curious how UK expats living in Ireland are satisfied with healthcare there compared to the UK.

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

In my personal experience the HSE in Ireland is inferior to the NHS in terms of quality and speed.

You'd need a private insurance in Ireland to have any kind of decent healthcare coverage. Aviva, or VHI or something like that.

I have no experience with being British and having a British NI number, residing in the Republic of Ireland, but accessing NHS services in Northern Ireland, however I've heard of people doing this.

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

Thanks much! I'm surprised to hear there would be any difference at all. It sounds like many in Ireland take out private insurance to avoid the public system, despite the additional costs. Still trying to decide whether to reside in UK or ROI, and healthcare is one of the factors. But have no experience with either system. Much appreciate the response.

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

I suppose one can always argue about it and even in the UK the NHS/quality is not the same everywhere and only free for those who never paid into the system (taxes).
Healthcare is not like a McDonalds where every restaurant, process is the same and even there you'll find huge differences. Apart from the system there are many other factors to look at and a good system on paper doesn't mean the doctor treating you has more knowledge, the staff are better and you have the best equipment in every single hospital across the country. Why many in Ireland go with private healthcare is that you have longer waiting lists at public hospitals and with private you have quicker access and more options. Outside of Dublin Ireland is still very rural and Sligo or Athlone won't have a hospital like Dublin, just like London won't be like a rural part of the UK. I have Laya Healthcare through work and twisted my knee playing soccer last year. They have a walk in clinic in Galway and didn't have to wait 5 mins, got an x-ray from a very friendly British person and the GP was Spanish. That was a good experience just like there will be bad experiences. One thing you still have in Ireland is that we remain in the EU https://www.citizensinformation.ie/e...ealthcare.html

Going private here is still far cheaper than the US so it just depends on your personal situation.

Best example is always when you read personal reviews on Google (example Galway): Private Bon Secours Hospital 4.7 or Public University Hospital only 3.7
Then again in Manchester only 3.4 for North Manchester General Hospital but Trafford Hospital 4.1.

Then there will be other clinics here who are poorly rated and clinics in the UK that are highly rated.

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

Are you sure about NHS no cost eligibility conditions? I understood that any UK citizen who is ordinarily resident is eligible for the same free coverage regardless of past residency or tax participation.

From the NHS website:
"Changes in 2015 now mean that people eligible for free NHS hospital treatment is provided on the basis of someone being ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK. This term broadly means the country in which a person is normally resident. Eligibility is not dependent upon nationality, payment of UK taxes, national insurance contributions, being registered with a GP, having an NHS number or owning property in the UK. These changes affect visitors and former UK residents differently, depending on where they live now."

The only surcharges I've read about are for certain immigration visa categories until indefinite leave to remain is granted. Maybe I misunderstood you,

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

What I meant is that nothing is really free. Of course for you free:-) but for most people it just means they get a service that they paid for in some form (be it taxes or contributions).

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

Oh I see, yes good point. Here in the US quality also varies dramatically, especially between large cities and rural areas. But it sounds like in Ireland it's the waiting lists that drives many to private coverage, rather than any negatives of overall quality with the public system.

This is always the issue with national or universal health care. But I'd much rather be under that than the whims of private, profit-driven insurance corporations that dominate the landscape here. Not only too expensive for most, but what gets covered and they'll pay for is often at their discretion.

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

I've lived in both countries and can compare. My knowledge about that is around 5 years old. Things might have changed.

Nevertheless, I'd rather get sick while in the UK than in the ROI.

I often think that the ROI has a brain drain and skill shortage issue due to the unspeakable housing / rental market, especially in Dublin.

I once heard an RTE Radio 1 report where a group of elderly Cork residents organized a private bus tour to go to Northern Ireland just for eye surgery, cataract which is routine these days.
The Moorefield Eye Hospital in London is number one in Europe in these matters. That's just one example.

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

If you live in rural Wales you probably won't go to a London hospital either. It's always been the case and you'll also find the opposite that people from the North travel South. https://www.derryjournal.com/health/...access-3285802
Brain drain I doubt and even in the UK qualified staff seem to be foreigners from abroad. But overall the UK doesn't seem to score high these days either. In recent year's Ireland has improved https://www.independent.co.uk/news/h...-a7744131.html
https://meddoc.ie/why-working-in-hea...ork-in-the-uk/
Ironically you'll always find negative articles for every country. At the end of the day I can't complain and trust my GP here more than I did in Germany ( he was also very unfriendly).

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

Interesting and unfortunate situation. It reminds me of something similar here in the states. Many people, mostly with diabetes, living close to the Canadian border organize regular bus trips to Canada to buy and bring back prescription drugs such as insulin at a fraction of the price otherwise unaffordable.

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

Just an addition to this. There were several such buses organised by the Healy Raes of Kerry fame. For hip replacement also as in both cases waiting lists here are horrific eh three years for a knee/hip when the person is in disabling pain. Well of f folk go overseas as a regular thing for such things.

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

There is a two-tier system in Ireland. I am a disabled pensioner - just disabled in my early years here - and those on a low income get all health care free. So when I came over twenty years ago I moved from NHS to free care here. I pay a Euro per item on prescritptions. There is a grading ie those on slightly more can still get free GP visits, For fuller details see our excellent Citizens Information web site.

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

In my situation there really is no difference. It was not great in the UK. I live offshore now and the emergency services are awesome. An Air Ambulance arrives swiftly. Primary care is a lottery, I have moved around the West Coast and there have been stars and ,, well not stars, I have posted re the eye surgery buses in a separate post. It was primarily a vote -catcher . But I remember waiting lists in the UK as horrific. eg hysterectomy was years.

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

v
Not in my over 20 years here. About the same. And for emergency care definitely as equal. NHS waiting lists were always horrific

I a,m on a Medical Card here ie free medical care and the same as in the UK. My main health issue is CFS/ME and both countries are equally ' deficient there. But for emergency care? About the same

NB they ask the UK NI number here. It goes on my medical card alongside the HSE number

Re: Healthcare in Ireland
 

Sorry, CFS = chronic fatigue syndrome? Also, I wonder if HSE asks for the UK NI number for those who had lived in the UK to merge health records and history.