Panic...quick question
Jun 18th 2007, 3:45 am
#16
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Re: Panic...quick question
This may be the law, but I don't know how thoroughly it is enforced. When I was staying in Manchester with hubs (a little less than six months) I started having this really terrible leg pain and was worried I had developed deep vein thrombosis or something. After suffering for a month, I finally went to A&E at hubs suggestion. They didn't ask for anything other than my name. The doctor found nothing wrong, and sent me home with instructions to just rest it and not walk much.
After that didn't help, and the pain got even worse, to where I couldn't sleep at night, I made an appointment at hubs GP. They did an intake evaluation, a complete physical, and the GP discovered that the leg pain was actually originating in my back (sciatica). She prescribed me anti-inflammatory meds, told me to call back in a few weeks if it wasn't better to start physical therapy, and set me up with an appointment for a pap smear as well!
A few weeks after we returned to the US, my MIL called and said they had just sent her my permanent GP card (or something like that) that shows I was a patient there. I couldn't believe it. I never got a bill.
(now everyone is going to flame me for taking care from the NHS for free!)
After that didn't help, and the pain got even worse, to where I couldn't sleep at night, I made an appointment at hubs GP. They did an intake evaluation, a complete physical, and the GP discovered that the leg pain was actually originating in my back (sciatica). She prescribed me anti-inflammatory meds, told me to call back in a few weeks if it wasn't better to start physical therapy, and set me up with an appointment for a pap smear as well!
A few weeks after we returned to the US, my MIL called and said they had just sent her my permanent GP card (or something like that) that shows I was a patient there. I couldn't believe it. I never got a bill.
(now everyone is going to flame me for taking care from the NHS for free!)
Though I've heard that procedures are being tightened up, and some recent immigrants have had to prove their entitlement.
But, in any case, you condition would have been an emergency, so no one will flame you. I guess you got the card because you are married to a Brit and the surgery assumed that you were there to stay.
Jun 18th 2007, 3:49 am
#17
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Joined: Jun 2007
Location: UK-Indonesia-US
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Re: Panic...quick question
They are small, credit card size things that have your NHS number on. I think you can use them in Europe as well, instead of having to fill in the reciprocal health form. They had only just come out as we were moving here in Oct 2005. They were sent automatically, we didn't have to apply for them.
Our old GP knows we have moved and all our records have been sent to some local health authority archive so I assumed that our cards would have been cancelled in some way.
I have forgotten so much about the small day to day stuff in the UK, like this NHS card etc. It's scary...as I understand more about life here, my UK knowledge diminishes in proportion
Our old GP knows we have moved and all our records have been sent to some local health authority archive so I assumed that our cards would have been cancelled in some way.
I have forgotten so much about the small day to day stuff in the UK, like this NHS card etc. It's scary...as I understand more about life here, my UK knowledge diminishes in proportion
Jun 18th 2007, 4:01 am
#18
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Joined: Aug 2003
Location: NJ
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Re: Panic...quick question
Check with your US health insurance. Our health insurance covers us worldwide.
Jun 18th 2007, 5:08 am
#19
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Re: Panic...quick question
I got mine at school and it wasn't a credit card type just a piece of card and long since lost it.
Jun 18th 2007, 5:12 am
#20
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 68,280
Re: Panic...quick question
Of course that was before Trusts and 20 pen pushing administrators per hospital ...
Jun 18th 2007, 6:07 am
#21
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,108
Re: Panic...quick question
They are small, credit card size things that have your NHS number on. I think you can use them in Europe as well, instead of having to fill in the reciprocal health form. They had only just come out as we were moving here in Oct 2005. They were sent automatically, we didn't have to apply for them.
Our old GP knows we have moved and all our records have been sent to some local health authority archive so I assumed that our cards would have been cancelled in some way.
I have forgotten so much about the small day to day stuff in the UK, like this NHS card etc. It's scary...as I understand more about life here, my UK knowledge diminishes in proportion
Our old GP knows we have moved and all our records have been sent to some local health authority archive so I assumed that our cards would have been cancelled in some way.
I have forgotten so much about the small day to day stuff in the UK, like this NHS card etc. It's scary...as I understand more about life here, my UK knowledge diminishes in proportion
Jun 18th 2007, 6:08 am
#22
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,108
Re: Panic...quick question
Just because you have a card doesn't mean you are entitled to treatment. You are only entitled to treatment is you are residents in the UK or require emergency treatment.
Jun 18th 2007, 6:51 am
#23
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Panic...quick question
When I was living here before and did a visit back to the UK I had to go to the Doctors and he gave me a prescription, nothing serious.
As it was my 'old Doctor' from 10 years back, and I was staying with my parents, don't know if it made any difference, but I only had to pay for my prescription like anyone else.
Had to sign a form thats all.
As it was my 'old Doctor' from 10 years back, and I was staying with my parents, don't know if it made any difference, but I only had to pay for my prescription like anyone else.
Had to sign a form thats all.
Jun 18th 2007, 6:55 am
#24
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Re: Panic...quick question
When I was living here before and did a visit back to the UK I had to go to the Doctors and he gave me a prescription, nothing serious.
As it was my 'old Doctor' from 10 years back, and I was staying with my parents, don't know if it made any difference, but I only had to pay for my prescription like anyone else.
Had to sign a form thats all.
As it was my 'old Doctor' from 10 years back, and I was staying with my parents, don't know if it made any difference, but I only had to pay for my prescription like anyone else.
Had to sign a form thats all.
Easy-peasy.
Jun 18th 2007, 9:01 am
#25
Account Closed
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Posts: 8,266
Re: Panic...quick question
I love socialized medicine. 
Jun 18th 2007, 9:43 am
#26
Banned
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Posts: 115
Re: Panic...quick question
Any other past medical history can be helpful in an emergency as well.
Jun 19th 2007, 12:45 am
#27
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Posts: 164
Re: Panic...quick question
The NHS is a 'free at the point of service' system and is not set up to take payments. So anyone who 'looks plausible' (i.e. British, or has a British connection) may face little or no scrutiny.
Though I've heard that procedures are being tightened up, and some recent immigrants have had to prove their entitlement.
But, in any case, you condition would have been an emergency, so no one will flame you. I guess you got the card because you are married to a Brit and the surgery assumed that you were there to stay.
Though I've heard that procedures are being tightened up, and some recent immigrants have had to prove their entitlement.
But, in any case, you condition would have been an emergency, so no one will flame you. I guess you got the card because you are married to a Brit and the surgery assumed that you were there to stay.
I was really pleased with the whole thing though. I was in disbelief really - after growing up in the US healthcare system, and being prohibited from visiting the doctor unless it was a true life or death emergency by my poor parents, I couldn't get over being able to just walk in and get treated! I couldn't understand why so many Brits complained about the NHS, I thought it was great!
Jun 19th 2007, 12:56 am
#28
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Re: Panic...quick question
....I was in disbelief really - after growing up in the US healthcare system, and being prohibited from visiting the doctor unless it was a true life or death emergency by my poor parents, I couldn't get over being able to just walk in and get treated! I couldn't understand why so many Brits complained about the NHS, I thought it was great!
(1) Brits like to moan
(2) Most have no idea of what the US healthcare system is like, assuming that just about everyone has insurance, and that the tiny minority (!) who don't are picked up by some kind of safety net. I know, from talking to people back home, that they simply cannot a fathom a system where people are denied medical care if they cannot afford it. And they generally don't know that even insurance comes with co-pays and deductibles, and how those can mount up and hurt poorer families and the chronically ill so much more than the well-off and healthy.
<<<sigh>>> Here she goes again....... I know, I know...
Jun 19th 2007, 3:51 am
#29
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Re: Panic...quick question
The credit card-sized blue and purple cards replaced the old E111 form that you got from the post office and used when travelling around the EU and a few other countries to help getting reciprocal health care. I have mine here since I take it with me when I'm visiting/transiting Europe (you never know what might happen during a four hour wait at CDG). As for my local GP back home, I am still registered there with my parents' address. My doctor told me this would be fine and my records haven't been moved to some central store.
Jun 19th 2007, 7:35 am
#30
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Posts: 238
Re: Panic...quick question
It's not that bad, though... OK I have no experience of needing ER / A&E treatment, however when we were in Essex 2 years ago, hubby put his back out (no smutty remarks, please, nothing to do with nookie being too vigourous 
) and he paid GBP 35 for 3 visits to the chiro. The chiro was a huge hulk of an Aussie, on a doc's exchange, and able to crack hubby's back very effectively. He saw him 3 days in a row, and told him to get a doc's appt for the day before we flew, for some nice strong painkillers. We also did that, paid our 20 quid, and got some lovely cheap and very strong painkillers. It's not that bad... at least from our experience, if you don't need ER treatment. Hubby had always been sent by his doc in the US to a physical therapist. I had always been encouraging him to see a chiro, but because that's seen as voodoo by his doc (geeeez! 
) then that never happened. Since he saw a chiro (picked out of the Yellow Pages) in Essex 2 years ago, he's not seen a physio in the US, and his back - prone to muscle spasms before - has been 100% better since!
Sorry.... waffling over.
) and he paid GBP 35 for 3 visits to the chiro. The chiro was a huge hulk of an Aussie, on a doc's exchange, and able to crack hubby's back very effectively. He saw him 3 days in a row, and told him to get a doc's appt for the day before we flew, for some nice strong painkillers. We also did that, paid our 20 quid, and got some lovely cheap and very strong painkillers. It's not that bad... at least from our experience, if you don't need ER treatment. Hubby had always been sent by his doc in the US to a physical therapist. I had always been encouraging him to see a chiro, but because that's seen as voodoo by his doc (geeeez! ) then that never happened. Since he saw a chiro (picked out of the Yellow Pages) in Essex 2 years ago, he's not seen a physio in the US, and his back - prone to muscle spasms before - has been 100% better since!Sorry.... waffling over.
