Seeing a doctor in UK, long time out

[steve2112]

I would like to see a doctor on the NHS when I get back to UK next week. I'm English but haven't lived in UK for 40plus years. 

 

My situation is serious but not emergency. What advice? I don't have a permanent address there but can use my brothers address. 

 

I have a national insurance number

 

Thanks

Edited July 7, 2019 by steve2112

[petermik]

You will need to register at the doctors surgery/medical centre first.....don,t know how easy that will be though

[473geo]

Go try and register at a local doctor near your brothers address, they should be able to find your records from your insurance number, nothing to fear, if they cannot register you, treat you, or there is some waiting period, you will be informed. Then take it from there.

[Pilotman]

It depends on how much the authorities know about you.  There is a qualifying period, I think 6 months, but that may be in error. for long term expats who have been out of the country. If you have paid UK tax and NI in that period then there should not be  a problem. If you haven't and have been out of the system, you could find that you have to re qualify to gain access to the NHS.   

[puchooay]

You will get to see a Doctor at a hospital. No qualifying period.

[theoldgit]

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-the-nhs-when-you-return-to-live-in-the-uk

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gms1

[seasia]

Hi

 

I think that even after being ex UK for many years , you can get back in to the NHS system very quickly on stating you intend to stay in the UK.

 

What you do after that is entirely your choice.

 

Emergency/urgent treatment cannot be denied you.

 

As far as I know.

 

It is something I sometimes think about.

 

Good Luck

[soalbundy]

Just now, puchooay said:

You will get to see a Doctor at a hospital. No qualifying period.

That's true but you will probably be billed for treatment however if you can show the authorities that you intend to remain in the UK it will be credited to you, happened to a friend who was billed for something like 120k GBP, he rented a cheap flat, registered for voting, showed he paid council tax, showed all his utility bills and after 4 months they let him off the hook and he returned to Thailand. I think a lot of doctors are humane and don't ask too many questions as long as the paperwork is OK. I deregistered from NHS when I left for Germany about 48 years ago and I don't pay tax so I would be in sh1t street.

[Moonlover]

18 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

There is a qualifying period, I think 6 months, but that may be in error. for long term expats who have been out of the country.

Yes, an oft posted rumour that is indeed in error.

 

See @theoldgit's post above.

[soalbundy]

Just now, Moonlover said:

Yes, an oft posted rumour that is indeed in error.

 

See @theoldgit's post above.

not completely a rumour as I have written above, you will get treatment (waiting times allowing) but they will want proof that you are back permanently (after treatment you can do what you want)

[oxysong]

Depends on what you tell them

[steve2112]

most of these items are likely to be a problen for me https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-the-nhs-when-you-return-to-live-in-the-uk

 

i'm thinking just show up  at a hospital as say its an emergency

 

[Moonlover]

On ‎7‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 7:11 PM, soalbundy said:

On ‎7‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 7:02 PM, Moonlover said:

Yes, an oft posted rumour that is indeed in error.

 

See @theoldgit's post above.

 

On ‎7‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 7:11 PM, soalbundy said:

not completely a rumour as I have written above, you will get treatment (waiting times allowing) but they will want proof that you are back permanently (after treatment you can do what you want)

It IS a rumour, one that has done the rounds many times, that there is a qualifying period of 6 months. That is NOT true.

 

As you rightly said, once you have provided evidence that you have returned to live there, you're entitled to treatment straight away.

 

Of course, there's nothing to stop you changing your mind after treatment is there. ????

 

[kingdong]

it would appear the original poster is only visiting his home country and NOT returning to settle,think you will find its not that simple as "using my brothers address" the govt knows a hell of a lot more about you and your whereabouts than you,d imagine,every time i visit my doctors or hospitals as an out patient i see signs pertaining to this matter the one in my doctors says if you are not entitled to nhs the charge is £50 for a 10 minute consultation plus the cost of any medication,honestly think anyone living in thailand and hoping to return to his/her country, for the purpose of "health tourism"  is going to be in for a rude surprise,i belive this legislation was bought in by blair.

[HauptmannUK]

The government is really cracking down on health tourism - its very politically sensitive right now. Recently when you get a hospital appointment letter there is section where they say they may need you to prove that you are legally permanently resident in the UK.

 

An friend of mine returned to the UK about a year ago, after 12 years in Thailand. Quite ill and low on funds (big hospital bills in Thailand). His sister sorted him out with a bedsit. When he arrived back he literally went straight to hospital.

He was treated immediately but he then received a couple of bedside visits from the 'Overseas Patients Team'. They were asking for a lot of things including utility bills and lots of documents to prove residency which he didn't have etc.  I understand it was quite an interrogation. They were shown his 1-year bedsit rental agreement and a bill of sale for his condo in Pattaya. After a couple of days he was told his treatment would be free. Otherwise you are billed at  150% of cost.

It was all in vain though because he died in October..

I don't think the doctors are too bothered but the hospitals now seem to have these administrators whose job is to police foreign/expat patients.

Edited July 10, 2019 by HauptmannUK

[Speedo1968]

I heard that if you are classed as nonresident ( which I am according to the DSS ) you need to be back in the UK for 3 months to be treated under the NHS.    

[poohy]

Little sis is an emergency ward nurse/matron thingy...we discussed this a few weeks back in UK

Address family or friends is ok any referrals subject to waiting times etc

 

You will not be denied emergency care and doctors will register you

As for any hospital billing ( i am sure some hospitals follow this more than others, sis has heard of it but never seen it put into practice) but they cannot get "blood from a stone" 

 

 

[theoldgit]

21 hours ago, Speedo1968 said:

I heard that if you are classed as nonresident ( which I am according to the DSS ) you need to be back in the UK for 3 months to be treated under the NHS.    

You heard wrong, look at the earlier link, if you're returning to live you're covered from day one.
You're always covered for emergency treatment.

Post #6

[bert bloggs]

just keep an address in the UK  and a doctor ,when you go over pop in and see him ,job done .

[puchooay]

Slightly different situation but does involve NHS. My wife (Thai) and I visited UK last October. Whilst there my wife got an ear infection. After a day or two of extreme pain I felt it was probably more than just a regular ear infection.

 

We went to A&E.  Filled out a couple of forms. Got to see a doctor (twice), got diagnosed, got given emergency treatment and issued a prescription.

 

The prescription was the only thing I needed to pay for, that would have been the case for UK resident anyway.

[HauptmannUK]

On 7/14/2019 at 12:50 PM, puchooay said:

Slightly different situation but does involve NHS. My wife (Thai) and I visited UK last October. Whilst there my wife got an ear infection. After a day or two of extreme pain I felt it was probably more than just a regular ear infection.

 

We went to A&E.  Filled out a couple of forms. Got to see a doctor (twice), got diagnosed, got given emergency treatment and issued a prescription.

 

The prescription was the only thing I needed to pay for, that would have been the case for UK resident anyway.

Emergency is always free. Its the elective stuff you would be billed for.