Au pair and registering with the doctors surgery - am fuming!

[becks5109]

About 2 months ago au pair was feeling really ill for days and had a burning temperature so took her down to my local surgery where I have been a patient for about 15 years - she wasn't registered so they wouldn't see her and when I tried to register her they wouldn't accept that she didn't have anything with my address on (she doesn't have bank account and doesn't obviously pay any of the bills) - she had her passport with her and the cow at the reception claimed that Romania is not in the EU (they are). Anyway ended up taking her and my too kids to the local walk in clinic at the local hospital - had to drive and wait etc. and they were brilliant and saw here and gave her free antibiotics as she had raging tonsillitis.

So last night she said she had a sore throat again. Have just called Dr's surgery and had a hugely tense conversation as they are saying again they won't register her without relevant documents. A Tenancy agreement is deemed relevant so I suggested I type one up etc. - they now say it has to be on headed paper etc. well I can easily put my address on the top. Anyway my gripe is that they are being so hoity and incredibly unhelpful - has anyone else experienced this problem. The lady even had the cheek to say "even people on the dole have a bank account" I asked her what exactly she meant by "even" people on the dole and she backed off pretty quick - the reception is such a small minded witch!

Does their accession worker card not contain the relevant address/id the GP surgery is wanting?

Could you bring in her au pairs contract?

I took all my au pairs to HSBC where they were able to open passport accounts, and use cash machines. I found it a lot easier to transfer their pocket monies, money for oyster card and mobile phone top ups, and expenses directly on online banking. Also, there could never be any dispute regards to what they had been paid.

I don't understand! My AP registered at the GP just by filling in a form with our address on - no proof required. Are there any other local surgeries you could try?

Our Gp was exactly the same Millarkie. I'm sure she's entitled to see the doctor as an EU citizen. Even then the doctor should be able to see her as a guest.
The only time we ever had problems was when one tried to get a repeat prescription of her pill.
Write a letter of complaint, I would.

Does she have an EHIC? If she has, she is entitled to the same basic health care as she would anywhere else in the EU. Furthermore, all emergency healthcare is dispensed freely to anyone, whether resident or not, not if she really bad, you could take her to A&E. Our local A&E has a GP surgery attached to it, so they can send people who turn up to A&E with minor problems who would otherwise clutter up the system.

Do you know who you spoke to on the phone? - could you ask to speak to the practice manager (assuming that is a different person) - I would be tempted to make an official complaint...but would also try and get AP registered elsewhere if possible.

This may help - it lists various countries and the Proof of Entitlement required. Romaina is listed, and proof of entitlement is an EHIC.

I've had exactly the same problem at my local surgery. Fortunately none of my APs has ever needed to see a GP and most of them have had medical insurance from their home countries that would cover them if necessary.

I've asked several times if my AP at the time could register and been told that they couldn't because their country is not part of EU (Slovakia and Romania ) and when I've pointed out, as you did, that they actually are now in the EU they've contradicted me!! Also had the same conversation re. proof of address.

I wonder if you go to the same surgery as me - you've quoted my receptionist almost word for word.

duchess, ehis card only applies for trips under 90? days and is for emergency care only under the same condition as local citizens.

i personally never had problems at GP as ap/foreign nanny. just filled in the papers and showed my passport. i remember when i tried to find guidelines on aps and medical care, i could not find anything specific. the only relevant but not very clear info i found on website of dept of health regarding overseas and eu visitors or something.

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Entitlementsandcharges/OverseasVisitors/index.htm

thanks everyone for the replies - spent 2 hours taking her to the walk in clinic at our local hospital today (not the most fun way to spend my one day off a week!) but they were very good and gave her more antibiotics for free so hopefully she will be on the mend soon - could really do with her back to working mode as she has only just returned after 2 weeks back at home. Think I will have to begrudingly take her to the bank on my day off next week and get her an account so that we can offically register her. I've got an appointment for myself at the doctors on Monday so I will be raising the issues with them direct and will be complaining strongly about the receptionist and her interpersonal skills or rather lack of! We don't have a contract or anything formal as she is a friend of our previous au pair.

APs register with GP within few days of arrival, never had any problems, when she was quite ill last year, GP and local hospital and emergency dentist all treated her no problem.

Appreciate that this doesn't help. Suggest any formal written complaint to GP is based on objective facts - her lack of knowledge of who is entitled to NHS treatment - and the expense it caused you; rather than subjective opinions - her apparent lack of personal skills - though these can always be brought up when/if you have a face to face meeting with the practice manager or if the receptionist is the practice manager then with one of the partner GPs.

Our GP was fine. LOL @ the argument about Romania being in the EU though - we had a similar discussion re Hungary with the private company that manage enrolment for the council-run English classes

Just an update to this one!

Went to lady GP for myself this morning and told her what had happened. She looked shocked and said she was sure that she could register as a visitor to me and that she would check with the main partner GP and let me know Made sure I told her how unreasonable the receptionist had been too and she seemed to know which one I was talking about so she obviously has a reputation already! She took my blood pressure just after I had told her and I was so angry about it still it had rocketed!!

Non UK citizens don't even have to be EU to qualify for NHS treatment. They just have to plan to live here in the UK for a minimum of 6 months (I think it's 6 months - might even be less). No proof of residency is required.

I have had loads of APs and never any problem getting them registered as long as they said they would be meeting the minimum residency requirements. They just had to fill in the normal doctor registration form.

Your surgery doesn't know what it's doing!

our AP is on a 2yr working holiday visa from australia and just had to take her passport in with our contract - registered in about 10 mins. and the same for the nhs dentist down the road

your surgery needs to get themselves sorted out methinks