Laurie smart

Hi there,

I've made the decision to move to Sweden from the Uk. My partner is Swedish and we are expecting our first child this year. I've been making enquiries into receiving a personnummer since late November, I've even lodged a couple of applications. Every time I speak to someone on the Swedish side of this they ask me for an S1 document, it seems I cannot obtain a personnummer without one.
I am caught in a total catch 22. When I phone the overseas Healthcare team in the UK, department of work and pensions or HMRC they all tell me I am not eligible for this form as I am not a retiree, I don't claim benefits and I haven't been sent to work in Sweden under UK employment.

I've been in contact with your Europe advice as well and they have basically said I'm pretty screwed.

Just looking for advice from anyone who may have encountered this problem before. How do I prove I have social security in the UK? How did you get an S1 document when the Uk refused to issue one?

Is there hope or will I be stuck In limbo forever?

scot47

Healthcare in Sweden - Healthcare abroad - NHS ChoicesDoes that help ? CAB ? MP ? MEP ?
take the chance that you can use the EHIC, at least for a short time ?
You will be covered by Swedish NatIns if and when you start working (but you need a SSN number for that !)

Laurie smart

Thankyou but unfortunately I've picked through the NHS website with a fine tooth comb and still it doesn't tell me where I can get myself an S1 document

Cynic

My understanding is that the S1 form is about UK paid healthcare. I've read somewhere that the S1 form is now only issued to pensioners; the UK no longer pay for UK citizens EU/EEA country healthcare (although, those who were already in possession of an S1 will still qualify and certain other groups - i.e. HM forces stationed abroad).

Blackladder

Hi Laurie,If you google SOLVIT you will come to a European 'Citizens Advice Bureau' made up of EU-skilled lawyers who may be able to answer your question. The advice is free and is available in many languages, just click on 'english' for their homepage to come up. The advice is not however binding on any member state, since the organisation itself is independent.Good luckBlackie

uk_grenada

The s1 is all about this sort of scenario. I have a rare cancer, fixable with a gamma knife. My local nhs has no gamma knife but my specialist agrees this is the best solution. There is one gamma knife in london but i am told its a 6-12 month waitcwhich breaches guidelines. At this point i find a belgian health servicechospital has one for next week. I use the s1 to force my local nhs ccg to pay for my treatment abroad.

There was a lot of use historically that was a bit dodgy, people being told they needed a new hip, going on holiday, accidentally falling over and having a hip replacement that was charged to the nhs, which is now it looks like being stopped. I think you can use an s1 in specific cases, but only with the co-operation of your local nhs funding group - called a ccg who will move heaven and earth to avoid it by providing treatment to the standards, in the uk.

uk_grenada

If you are in sweden, the ehic says you are an eu person and entitled to the level of service an eu person has in - in this case sweden. Theres no time limit, but you should make sure you do whatever locals do and pay whatever locals pay to the state mechanism to ensure they have state care.

Tell you how good it is. I worked in germany for a week for my uk company. I was in the back of a big computer and dropped my glasses and cracked a lens. I was taken to the local optician, showed my ehic, i signed a form and he replaced the lens free.

Cynic

There is a Gamma Knife facility in Sheffield; it was the original UK site..

uk_grenada

Pity then that a colleague, an nhs employee, with a brain tumour, couldnt get to use it. He was treated quickly and efficiently abroad at the cost of a few k to the nhs. This was a few years ago.

I know they are being touted for prostate surgery, i wonder if its the same device or there are different types?

Cynic

Link for the site is here; it's pretty clear in what they do. My wife is an NHS nurse; unfortunately, being an NHS staff member does not seem to push you up the list of those waiting for surgery/treatment and I don't think we will ever see the utopian dream of healthcare being available as and when we would like it.

uk_grenada

You are right, its not going to happen when we want it. However, being an nhs person has some benefits. In a&e you will always get seen very quickly and by the consultant, as they want you back at work, and your colleagues and friends are normally kept out of the loop.

Whilst you will join a queue for ops etc like any other, the same courtesy usually applies, you usually get the organ grinder not the oily rag sorting out valuable assets like staff, [unfortunate expression that.]

Nhs staff also usually get access to free or subsidised physio / chiropractics and similar, bad backs in nursing are a real problem, and waiting at home for physio is not helpful to the trusts.

uk_grenada

Do you know about CCG's, they are the people who fund things, who own the dosh and make decisions on who gets what funding - effectively committees of gp's and experts in stats and commissioning.

If you ever need anything ususual or are not happy with a type of service [not bad service, thats what PALS exists for - to prevent the nhs being sued] talk to them in your area. They are usually very happy to help.

Laurie smart

Yea the EHIC is great. Im pregnant and it covers all of my antenatal care but unfortunately not the birth. I'm looking at £5000 to give birth here.

It turns out I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I don't qualify for an S1 form from the Uk but I don't earn enough in my Swedish job to be covered by the health system here. I've involved a lawyer now to help find a solution.

Laurie smart

Thankyou! I'm surprised I've not heard of them yet...I feel like I've searched even in the most unlikely places for a solution to this. I'll look into it!

Laurie smart

Thankyou
I've been in touch with the folk from solvit and your Europe advice but was unfortunately told little more than 'good luck'... It's apparently a very common problem with movement between the uk and Sweden. Neither country wants to take liability for my Healthcare