What happens if you're on an NHS waiting list when posted to Germany?

[ForcesSweetheart]

I'm about to be put on a waiting list for surgery, does anyone know what will happen if we're posted to Germany before I get my operation? I know the AFF have negotiated a deal with the NHS to have army families retain their relative place on waiting lists when they move within the UK, but not sure what'd hapen if we go to Germany (which is looking likely).

If I'd have stayed in the UK to have my gall bladder removed, I'd have been on the list for a year, however I moved to Fallingbostel and had it removed within a month of getting there.

They could have done it 2 weeks after I arrived but I was a bit shocked at the prospects so opted for a longer wait!

It's pretty much the equivalent of private health care without paying. They keep you in for longer after the op too (4 nights and 5 days I stayed for) mainly I think as the hospitals get well paid by the forces for having us. Food is way better than NHS too. I even got hooked on the hospital cereal which I still now in the UK!

The AFF and the MOD may have negotiated a deal with NHS but in my experience it's not a binding agreement and I know of others who've had the same problems. I waited over four years for an MRI because we kept moving around (we moved three times during that period) and it wasn't until we were posted to RMAS that I got my MRI and subsequent referral to a specialist for treatment.

Quite frankly, the doctors at the MRS were fabulous and pulled strings to get me seen but they admitted that the agreement you speak of is only a voluntary one and not all Trusts adhere to it. Stability and continuity of health care were one of the reasons we decided to buy house and settle somewhere.

Thanks for the info guys. Good to know. The waiting list for my op could be anything up to 3 years, and I reckon theres a good chance of us being posted to germany before then.

Forcessweetheart- Where abouts in germany do you think you will be getting posted too.

But generally speaking you will prob get the operation quicker here than you would in the uk. But i suppose it will depend on the what op it is.

I've no idea where we'll be going or even if it will dfinitely be Germany. DH is REME and put Canada, Cyprus & Germany on his posting preference form, and given his trade he thinks Germany is the most likely. He's expecting his posting notice to come through in the next few months. The op is Gastric Band, not what you'd consider urgent surgery, but as I am severely overweight which has given me diabetes and various other health problems my GP thinks it's the way forward.

If you get posted to Germany you will have absolutely no problem as the waiting times for ops are minimal - just a few days in many cases.
In response to luciemule - lengths of stay are often slightly longer than in UK, but that has absolutely nothing to do with payment, as the German hospitals are paid per case and not for the length of stay, i.e. thay'd be better off if they discharged you earlier. They don't because they they like to play it safe and their readmission rates are very low.
If you want any more info on being admitted to one of the German hospitals, just contact me. I worked in one for five years when we were last posted in Germany.