Nephew coming to stay from another country without parents, what if he has an accident?

[DingbatsFur]

Hi Folks,
My 3 year old nephew may be coming to stay with us for a few days (brought by his granny so no parents). While I'm happy to have him stay have sons his age for him to play with the one thing that concerns me is what would do should he have an accident or need medical treatement?
Nephew is not resident in the UK (but the ROI) and his parents would be 5 hours drive away. Granny does not have parental responsibility but is used to minding him for a week or so at a time every couple of months.
Thanks!

As far as I'm aware, European citizens are entitled to NHS care. I only know this because some German friends stayed with us once and one had a severe kidney infection. I took him to the local hospital and filled out a card saying he was staying at my address, then he was treated for free.

He was so impressed by the NHS, by the way. He'd heard horror stories in Germany and was amazed at the treatment he got here.

Does this help? Hopefully someone else will be along in a bit!

EU citizens, as said above, are entitled to NHS help. Don't worry.

NHS will provide emergency care for anyone regardless of nationality. We're not a country that asks to see credit card. If international they would try to get the money back throug insurance and repatriate as soon as medically fit. your nephew will need medical insurance in non-EU

Thanks Janoschi!
I reckon he would be entitled to health care with the NHS, I'm just worried because he would be 3 and wouldn't have a parent with him. It'll probably never happen, but I'd like to make sure we have everything in place if it did.

sorry missed the ROI bit!

Thanks everyone for your replies!
It's the parental responsibility thing I'm really concerned about and whether we/Granny would have the authority to decide what to do if there was an emergency?

Whist the NHS treats European citizens as well as Uk ones, you should make sure you get a letter of consent from his parents so that if anything does happen you can give consent for treatment in their absence.

Frankly I'd say yes you'd have the authority in an emergency. You'd be the available next of kin. But if - God forbid - anything major happened, you'd call his parents immediately anyway?

I'd try not to worry - unless he's a kid who loves high voltage high-wire walking or something.

What would be involved in a letter of consent? Just a simple 'I, parent name, authorise Granny to give consent for medical treatment for nephew in my absence'?

We would of course call the parents immediately, but they'd be 5 hours drive away.

I imagine you can get sample letters off the Internet. I've just had to sign a similar one for my DD to travel with the school (she'll be away 5 days).

As you say it could just be a simple - 'I, [parent name] authorise [Granny name or your name] to give consent for medical treatment for [nephew name] in my absence.

Maybe add any relevent medical issues (allergies etc.) and full contact details. Make sure they sign and date it.

In these sorts of situations, the doctors would do whatever they needed to do. They'd probably want to chat to the parents on the phone, just to let them know what was happening and to get their input, but, assuming no issues like they are Jehovah's Witnesses and would refuse blood for him say, they are not going to withhold or delay treatment that is needed in an emergency.

Your nephew will not be allowed to travel without his parents unless they sign a letter of permission and put it together with his passport. His parents can add consent to emergency treatment to the contents of the travel letter. Passport not strictly needed for ROI, but these days there is so much focus on child abduction that it might not be a bad idea.

He will need to bring his EHIC card or equivalent.

He should have travel insurance as the NHS will not fund repatriation costs. (God forbid that they will be needed, but insurance only costs a few pounds, so well worth it).

I speak from experience of taking my own nephew on holiday numerous times, and we have always been asked (at the airport/ferry etc) for the letter.