Are Scots really treated as "overseas" patients by NHS in England?

peachyprice

ValHaller wrote: »

This is so wrong. If there was an issue between Scotland and England over provision of NHS services, I think we would all know about it.

I'm sure the Scots didn't complain about their NHS being separate from England when Scotland decided to abolish prescription charges, they can't have it all ways.

brook2jack

Since April last year, unless it's for certain treatments or you get special permission patients in Wales cannot be referred out of Wales.

Nonsensical when in certain places an English hospital is 10 miles away the equivalent Welsh hospital a four and a half hour drive away.

The same may be true of Scotland that lhbs May not fund certain treatments outside of Scotland.

There is no national nhs and there hasn't been for a long time.

Lifeforms

Having neurological specialists in Scotland from living in Scotland and getting ill in Scotland, I worried I would lose them moving to England, granted even just a sneeze over the border. When I next saw my awesome specialist I asked if I would still be eligible to see them as I was in England now. She asked if I had a CHI number, which I did as it's on my letters, although I had no reason as to why it is important. As long as I have one of those, I can still see them, or be treated up there. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Health_Index_%28Scotland%29

It did confuse matters when I was still registered with a Scottish GP though, and sought emergency care in England. But frankly the towns close to the border end up coming back and forth and be treated locally back and forth. If you had an emergency you'd be shipped to the Scottish hospital from England, so perhaps the local area is more amenable to that. Like Wales/England border used to be, but not any more (feel for you!)

There should not be any problem with treatment where ever you are, providing it is covered by the local health board. However their own rules might dictate where you are sent for further investigation. Nothing to stop asking for second opinions, however if it's life saving treatment, from emergency care, to anything time critical, cancer surgery etc any queries should not delay anything.

Regarding the passport. That is common now, and something all surgeries ask for regarding new registration, and confirming you are who you say you are. I had to provide that (or government id, licence photo etc) as well as two utility bills!

meritaten

brook2jack wrote: »

Since April last year, unless it's for certain treatments or you get special permission patients in Wales cannot be referred out of Wales.

Nonsensical when in certain places an English hospital is 10 miles away the equivalent Welsh hospital a four and a half hour drive away.

The same may be true of Scotland that lhbs May not fund certain treatments outside of Scotland.

There is no national nhs and there hasn't been for a long time.

and its insane when they are going to close down neo-natal care in North Wales and transfer it to England. how will that work?

mountainofdebt

Devolution is a wonderful thing eh ?

janninew

Dunroamin wrote: »

Could I just add that she really ought to register with a local GP - staying with the one in Scotland in the hope that she'll only be ill when visiting family is pretty daft.

Agree! When my partner (now husband) moved into my house he told his surgery his new address and within a week he had a letter saying he needed to register at a new surgery as his current one wasn't close enough to his new address, I only live 7 miles away, but we do have a closer surgery which I attend so he registered there no problems. I'm really surprised that you could stay as a patient at a Scottish surgery when you have an English address!

rpc

peachyprice wrote: »

I'm sure the Scots didn't complain about their NHS being separate from England when Scotland decided to abolish prescription charges, they can't have it all ways.

Prescription charges are a nice headline, but far from the full issue.

There are service guarantees in England that there aren't in Scotland,

There are drugs available on the NHS in England that there aren't in Scotland.

The reality is simply that the two countries have decided to spend their money in different places. Personally, I would rather pay for my prescriptions (which were already means-tested) and have some of the extras that England has. Sadly, that doesn't work as well as a media soundbite or support the anti-Scottish lobby.

Joons

That's awful, you should definitely complain, what difference does it make, it's still NHS treatment.

Roll on independence for Scotland I say.

Cuilean

I was born in England, grew up in Scotland, and was transferred back to England for work. While I was in the process of moving my things across the border, I stayed registered with my Scottish GP. Paranoia maybe, but my initial contract was only a six month trial, and I did not want to go through the hassle of registering, deregistering and maybe having to register again if it all went wrong :embarasse

Within a couple of months of arriving in England, I was involved in a car accident, and needed medical help from a GP to deal with whiplash. I was called a "temporary patient", and they took details of my Scottish GP to send things to. They were also fine with giving me one month's supply of some pills I'd lost which were part of my repeat prescription, but I assume they checked with my Scottish GP before handing a prescription over (And yes, I paid for it, lol).

When my probation period was up, I stayed in England and registered with an English GP. It took quite a while for my Scottish GP to send my medical notes down, so be prepared to tell your English GP everything about your medical history.

Looking at my NHS Scotland medical card, it does say "If you are away from home within the UK for more than 3 months, you can apply for treatment from any NHS doctor. Show this card or give your CHI number. You will be treated as a temporary resident, and remain on the list of your registered doctor."

viscachaz

My medical notes got lost in the abyss when I moved back to England from Scotland.. As a result, I have about a 7 year gap in my records, where no doctor I now see knows anything about!!