For Brits who think they can just hop on a plane home and use the NHS

[thaiclan]

I meet many Brit's here who think that if the worst comes to the worst medically they can just hop on a plane and stagger into a UK hospital and get treated on the NHS.
This story was published earlier today (March 1st) about an expat couple on a visit home to the UK and their baby was born 3 months prematurely.  Now they have been given a 60,000 GBP bill despite having UK passports.  The mother has been an expat since 2014.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/brit-expats-whose-baby-born-12108873

[Wrong Turn]

They should have known. 

[mommysboy]

NHS entitlement is based on residency.

 

A Thai expat is unlikely to be a resident of Thailand and can immediately establish residency in UK by simple declaration.

 

I guess most people would simply have not made it known that they were residents elsewhere, or would have declared themselves resident at the time the problem started.

 

Notice that treatment was given.  As to paying the bill, if they are poor there is fat chance that it will be paid. And I cant see NHS pursuing the matter, or denying further treatment for any of them if they assume residency in UK.

 

But there is a practical consideration.  Having recently been hospitalised in Thailand with a relatively serious illness, I can say that there was no way I could have made it on to a plane, let alone be accepted as fit to fly.

 

 

 

 

[trd]

It says the parents have residency in Zambia. I don't know any Brits here whether in business or retired who have residential status in Thailand so would the same rules apply.

[mommysboy]

23 minutes ago, trd said:

It says the parents have residency in Zambia. I don't know any Brits here whether in business or retired who have residential status in Thailand so would the same rules apply.

 

It depends on circumstance.

 

It is a fine legal point that very often does not arise.  There is little or no check, because when a Brit ends up in hospital he/she is unlikely to be quizzed and need not disclose any information. 

 

However, if airlifted or the authorities become involved in some other way, then the information about where the patient has been may be at hand. 

 

If the patient is simply in a position to declare intention to resume residency then the matter may go no further.  It really does depend on the attitude of the health authority involved.

 

I wonder how they found out. 

 

But lets look at this logically, if you are seriously ill you aren't flying anywhere!  So it really depends on the nature of the illness.

 

Actually, there is a compelling argument why this baby should receive free treatment.  Having been born to British parents in the UK, he is undoubtedly British.  British patients under 18 receive NHS treatment without charge.  He is the patient: not the parents.

Edited March 1, 2018 by mommysboy
Additional point

[Denim]

Not something people don't know about.

 

The message is that if you are an expat don't tell anyone in the UK about it.

 

I go home from time to time despite living here. If I have some medical problem I just pay a visit to my old GP practice where they have my records and no questions ever asked.

 

I have not worked in the UK for over 15 years and even that was a temp job as I was stuck there looking after the interests of an elderly relative with terminal illness.

[skorts]

For non-emergency cases the NHS may ask you to complete a questionnaire which goes into some detail about how long you have been outside of the UK.

For example, it asks specific questions about how long you have been outside the UK and if you own a property overseas.

I have seen the forms a friend had to complete. This was just for physiotherapy at an NHS hospital.

Emergency treatment will always be provided regardless of your residency but once your emergency condition has been treated you may be charged for any further treatment.

With regards UK residency, whilst a complex subject, if you live permanently outside Europe, and only visit the U.K. briefly each year, you will likely be a non-UK resident and therefore not entitled to free NHS treatment, other than emergency treatment.

NHS Authorities have been challenged in the courts who have ruled that a UK citizen that has been non-resident but returns to the UK with the intention of residing in the UK long term is entitled to free NHS treatment from the date of arrival.

This could be supported by moving back into a property you own in the U.K.

Clearly, if you are only visiting on holiday/for a short visit, you would not be entitled to free MHS treatment.







Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[mommysboy]

1 minute ago, skorts said:

For non-emergency cases the NHS may ask you to complete a questionnaire which goes into some detail about how long you have been outside of the UK.

For example, it asks specific questions about how long you have been outside the UK and if you own a property overseas.

I have seen the forms a friend had to complete. This was just for physiotherapy at an NHS hospital.

Emergency treatment will always be provided regardless of your residency but once your emergency condition has been treated you may be charged for any further treatment.

With regards UK residency, whilst a complex subject, if you live permanently outside Europe, and only visit the U.K. briefly each year, you will likely be a non-UK resident and therefore not entitled to free NHS treatment, other than emergency treatment.

NHS Authorities have been challenged in the courts who have ruled that a UK citizen that has been non-resident but returns to the UK with the intention of residing in the UK long term is entitled to free NHS treatment from the date of arrival.

This could be supported by moving back into a property you own in the U.K.

Clearly, if you are only visiting on holiday/for a short visit, you would not be entitled to free MHS treatment.







Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

"NHS Authorities have been challenged in the courts who have ruled that a UK citizen that has been non-resident but returns to the UK with the intention of residing in the UK long term is entitled to free NHS treatment from the date of arrival."

 

This is the key issue.  By saying anything other than declaring intention to reside, I'm afraid people unwittingly dig their own grave.

 

But in this case, as I have said it is very difficult to conclude anything other than the baby is British and long term resident in UK by fact, and as such entitled to free treatment.

 

 

[thaiclan]

When you arrive at the hospital they will ask you for your address.  OK you can use a family members address or even your own address if you have a home rented out etc.   But then they will ask you for your GP and this is where they can easily discover you have been out of the UK for a long time.  It's a flag if your GP is in an area that is not near the home address you gave.
It is an even bigger flag if there are no medical documents pertaining to the condition you have or if the last visit was years ago.

 

The hospital won't ask to see your passport or anything, but anyone who is not known to their GP will raise a query.

 

Outcome is to just make sure we all have health insurance and make sure that health insurance covers us for trips back to the UK.

 

There are so many British expats these days that the official departments in the UK are pretty aware that a British passport holder may not be a UK resident.
An expat child who wants to go to a UK university has to be resident in the UK for the 4 years prior to university in order to qualify for UK fees (about 9500gbp per year).  If they are not resident then they have to pay international fees which are about 35,000gbp per year.

 

 

 

[Daffy D]

Attempt to rob a bank, get caught, go to jail, free medical treatment. 

 

On the other hand if you don't get caught and escape with the money you can pay your own medical bills

 

[MaeJoMTB]

11 hours ago, thaiclan said:

This story was published earlier today (March 1st) about an expat couple on a visit home to the UK and their baby was born 3 months prematurely. 

At least the kid gets full citizenship (British by birth), unlike those of us having children overseas who only get 'British by descent'.

Also note 'giving them a bill' isn't the same as 'them paying a bill'.

Edited March 2, 2018 by MaeJoMTB

[MaeJoMTB]

58 minutes ago, thaiclan said:

When you arrive at the hospital they will ask you for your address.  OK you can use a family members address or even your own address if you have a home rented out etc.   But then they will ask you for your GP and this is where they can easily discover you have been out of the UK for a long time.  It's a flag if your GP is in an area that is not near the home address you gave.

My cousin actually had this job in a London NHS hospital,

She only questioned non-whites and people with foreign accents.

White people with London accents were invisible.

[Sheryl]

12 hours ago, mommysboy said:

...  Having recently been hospitalised in Thailand with a relatively serious illness, I can say that there was no way I could have made it on to a plane, let alone be accepted as fit to fly.

 

 

 

 

Excatly. This is the flaw n the plan of those who think they can solve the issue of access top medical care here by just going to India, where it is cheaper, or back home.

[rott]

On 3/2/2018 at 8:29 AM, MaeJoMTB said:

My cousin actually had this job in a London NHS hospital,

She only questioned non-whites and people with foreign accents.

White people with London accents were invisible.

And heavily tanned people with scouse accents.? (A mate of mine was asking).

[MaeJoMTB]

On 3/2/2018 at 7:29 AM, thaiclan said:

When you arrive at the hospital they will ask you for your address.  OK you can use a family members address or even your own address if you have a home rented out etc.   But then they will ask you for your GP and this is where they can easily discover you have been out of the UK for a long time.  It's a flag if your GP is in an area that is not near the home address you gave.

Funny you should mention this, but my GP wrote to me yesterday, at my UK mail drop, offering me a free cancer screening.

I haven't seen him for nearly 10 years, I only saw him twice in the previous 10, surprised he's still alive, his health was never the best.

But hey, I'm still on his list.

Edited March 8, 2018 by MaeJoMTB

[nontabury]

On 02/03/2018 at 12:29 AM, thaiclan said:

When you arrive at the hospital they will ask you for your address.  OK you can use a family members address or even your own address if you have a home rented out etc.   But then they will ask you for your GP and this is where they can easily discover you have been out of the UK for a long time.  It's a flag if your GP is in an area that is not near the home address you gave.
It is an even bigger flag if there are no medical documents pertaining to the condition you have or if the last visit was years ago.

 

The hospital won't ask to see your passport or anything, but anyone who is not known to their GP will raise a query.

 

Outcome is to just make sure we all have health insurance and make sure that health insurance covers us for trips back to the UK.

 

There are so many British expats these days that the official departments in the UK are pretty aware that a British passport holder may not be a UK resident.
An expat child who wants to go to a UK university has to be resident in the UK for the 4 years prior to university in order to qualify for UK fees (about 9500gbp per year).  If they are not resident then they have to pay international fees which are about 35,000gbp per year.

 

 

 

 

Recently returned to live in the U.K. went to the local G.P’ clinic.

filled out a form, with my address, job done. No one asked if I had returned permanently.

 

Regarding British ex-pat children, I may be wrong, but I think the time period is 3 years.

If you do not qualify, you are hit with an extra 50%, thus making the fee £13,500 p.a. There are exemptions to this rule, for instance if a citizen of another E.U country enters a British University, they pay only the £9,000, and are also entitled to a loan to cover this fee,if their family can show low earnings. Then at the end of 3or 5 yrs they can simple return to their own country, and forget to pay the loan back, as many do.