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Original poster

Are British expats (live in Oz) entitled to NHS when visiting UK?

85 replies

Pedestriancrossing · 25/08/2023 15:30

Really hoping someone can point me to the answer as this is stressing me out.
My elderly PILs emigrated from UK to Australia 20 years ago. We have a family wedding coming up here in the uk and they will be coming over and staying with us for 6 weeks. Neither is in very good health and MIL has limited mobility, is no opiate painkillers and early stages of dementia.
My question is, would they be able to access NHS services (in England) for free? Or would they be charged?
Obviously neither has a GP.
I doubt they have taken out travel insurance due to cost, and are probably assuming they have free access to the aNHS (as they are British and lived in UK for many years, paid NI etc)
DHs family never talk about anything serious so the question over insurance hasn't been asked, and won't be.
Please can someone advise on what would happen if they needed hospital care while visiting?
Thank you

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Franklet · 25/08/2023 15:56

Info on the reciprocal scheme with Australia.

But I agree they should have insurance!

Original poster
Pedestriancrossing · 25/08/2023 15:57

Thanks everyone. All I can do is pass on the information to DH. I have asked him to talk with his parents but I can't make him.

OP posts:
ReviewingTheSituation · 25/08/2023 15:57

Pedestriancrossing · 25/08/2023 15:47

To PPs I totally agree that they should have travel insurance to cover the journey in full, but unfortunately I am not in control of the situation. They haven't arrived yet.

Obviously you're not in control of it - they're adults and have to make their own decisions. But you said earlier that you think that they think they're entitled to use the NHS should the need arise. Knowing that they won't be (without being in charge), you can at least make them aware of that so that they don't blunder into a nightmare of needing to use it and having to pay because of naivety. They can at least make an informed decision... if you inform them.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Dementia & alzheimer's General health
BlueThursday · 25/08/2023 15:58

Yup, Dubai and Singapore are usual stop offs and a couple of the most expensive countries in the world!

BlueThursday · 25/08/2023 15:59

well of course uae is the country 😆

Moonrising · 25/08/2023 15:59

Regardless of health they need travel insurance anyway. The whole family should stop avoiding the issue and have a sit down conversation about it like grown ups.

DinnaeFashYersel · 25/08/2023 15:59

They need to take out travel insurance or be prepared to pay.

mycoffeecup · 25/08/2023 16:00

Primary care (GP) - yes
Secondary care - probably no

If they are coming to stay with you I'd suggest you say you can't have them unless they have travel insurance

Babyroobs · 25/08/2023 16:01

As others have said it's very foolish not to have travel insurance. they need to get it sorted.

UseOfWeapons · 25/08/2023 16:04

In practice...they may be treated in A & E, chargeable from then on. Trusts have an Overseas team, and pts' details are sent to them and they investigate what is, and what is not chargeable. They will invoice the pt. Some Trusts request some payments for care as they go along. The team treating them can make a decision to stop care when the pt can travel back to their home country without risk to their life. And yes, they do follow these up - or at least they do at my Trust.

The Trusts I have worked for have all done this, but as all financial matters are dealt with by the Overseas team, it's not something that many are familiar with. For patient that I see in clinic, the Overseas team will be in contact sometimes before I even see the pt, and the NHS Spine shows an Alert to hospitals that the pt is not, or may not be, entitled to treatment on the NHS.

If you have any sway with them, do advise them to get comprehensive insurance. Difficult, I know!

Spanielsarepainless · 25/08/2023 16:06

Only in A&E. They are domiciled elsewhere. Tell them to get insurance.

YorkieTheRabbit · 25/08/2023 16:13

Fifteen years ago, my mil had a heart attack while on holiday in Spain. The medevac costs to bring her back to the uk, ran in to the many thousands. They had travel insurance.

suitcasecoveredincathair · 25/08/2023 16:14

Moonrising · 25/08/2023 15:59

Regardless of health they need travel insurance anyway. The whole family should stop avoiding the issue and have a sit down conversation about it like grown ups.

Exactly. It seems like they’re perhaps not very bright? What happens if one of them trips at the airport while changing planes on the way over and they end up having to pay for a few days’ accommodation in Dubai or Hong Kong or wherever? Or if their cases go awol and they have to fork out for new clothes?

I lost my glasses on a short trip once, and thanks to my travel insurance it only cost me €50 instead of €200.

And I hate to be morbid but the NHS won’t pay for things like repatriation of a body if one of them steps in front of a bus. Sadly I’ve seen it a few times in the tourist destination I live in. People come over and think that they’re covered thanks to the reciprocal health care agreement. Then there’s a tragedy and the family has to raise money to bring their body home. Absolutely awful.

Anyway OP has made it clear that she knows this and has no control but perhaps it might give her partner a nudge to try to sway them!

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 25/08/2023 16:19

Its not just a &e , as others have said, its the stop overs.. and repatriation, all sorts of issues that need to be covered by insurance.
Its not impossibly expensive look up on https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/over65s-travel-insurance/ to see the reasoning of it, But don't forget that they will need to book it from THEIR place of residence. Try https://www.seniors.com.au/travel-insurance

Don't forget if the worst happens - guess who will be paying for it and organising it if the don't have insurance - you and DH will.
I see fundraisers on for people who've had medical emergencies or even died in places like Thailand and its nearly always because their insurance was non existent or insufficient. Most of them are teenage backpackers tho.

Travel Insurance Quotes | Australian Seniors

Travel insurance with Australian Seniors, including overseas medical cover, cancellations, luggage claims, and personal liability. Get a quote now.

https://www.seniors.com.au/travel-insurance

heldinadream · 25/08/2023 16:20

Do you mean no travel insurance at all, or have they got insurance that doesn't cover the health aspect? Because none at all is bonkers. So many things can go wrong, not just medical issues.

TheSandgroper · 25/08/2023 16:20

Honestly, in your case, I would see how to buy insurance for them yourself because if something does happen, the ramifications would be just awful.

Otherwise, you have the mumsnet favourite. - a dh problem. He should put his foot down and say “no insurance certificate, not staying”. Should the need for medical assistance be required, anywhere in the journey, who would have to step up in terms of time and energy as well as cash?

EmotionalSupportWyrm · 25/08/2023 16:34

AS SOMEONE HAS ALREADY POSTED

We have a reciprocal agreement with Australia on healthcare!

Are British expats (live in Oz) entitled to NHS when visiting UK?
caerdydd12 · 25/08/2023 16:35

TheSandgroper · 25/08/2023 16:20

Honestly, in your case, I would see how to buy insurance for them yourself because if something does happen, the ramifications would be just awful.

Otherwise, you have the mumsnet favourite. - a dh problem. He should put his foot down and say “no insurance certificate, not staying”. Should the need for medical assistance be required, anywhere in the journey, who would have to step up in terms of time and energy as well as cash?

I would make sure first that they definitely don't have travel insurance. If they do and you buy a policy neither will want to be the one who pays out.

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 25/08/2023 16:40

Our trust does very much go after overseas visitors, there’s even a box on admittance forms now; have you been resident for the last 6 months. They must get travel insurance.

Thankyouthankyoujellybean · 25/08/2023 16:53

When giving birth in London, my midwife was very suspicious about me being from Northern Ireland (part of the UK, in case that is not clear!) and said that my treatment would 'probably' be free. I had been resident in London for ten years at that point. Do not rely on not being asked.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 25/08/2023 16:58

drpet49 · 25/08/2023 15:43

This is false. They actively pursue this in the trust where my BIL works.

Show quote history

Same in the Trust where I work, there is a whole overseas vistors team.

notimagain · 25/08/2023 17:21

@FadedRed

Thanks for the link - Good to see a website that actually spells out the S1 entitlement.

mycoffeecup · 25/08/2023 17:27

Pedestriancrossing · 25/08/2023 15:57

Thanks everyone. All I can do is pass on the information to DH. I have asked him to talk with his parents but I can't make him.

Are they staying with you? You can refuse to allow this/not be involved at all in cooking for them etc, if they don't show you proof of travel insurance.

SequinsandStiIettos · 25/08/2023 17:28

In theory they should have to pay but in practice virtually no one is ever asked to

Not true. I had to provide evidence of being permanent resident (used to live in EU) to the billings department recently and I've been back years. A+E wasn't an issue but I had to fill in hospital forms at the time. They need holiday insurance.

knobkopf · 25/08/2023 17:35

I doubt they have taken out travel insurance due to cost, and are probably assuming they have free access to the aNHS (as they are British and lived in UK for many years, paid NI etc)

You "doubt" and they are "probably assuming".
This all seems like assumption on your part. Obviously you know them well so maybe they have form for this sort of thing, but so far they haven't said "we don't have travel insurance". Maybe they have - you are just assuming they haven't.

DH needs to ask them and insist that they do so.