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Hi all and welcome to the subject of medication in the UK.

Healthcare treatment is free to people classed as ordinarily resident in the UK. However, since 6 April 2015, non-EEA nationals who are subject to immigration control must have the immigration status of indefinite leave to remain (ILR) at the time of treatment and be properly settled, to be considered 'ordinarily resident'.  The UK Government have issued guidance on this subject; this will take you there.

Healthcare for entitled people is provided by the National Health Service, this is free at the point of delivery, which means you get to see the doctor/nurse without paying anything at the time you see them - it's funded by general taxation - so everyone pays a bit.

Prescriptions (medicines), however, do have to be paid for by many people; this will take you to the NHS website that has the details.

There have been recent changes to what can be provided free of charge; basically, if you can buy it over the counter from a chemist, then it's no longer available free on prescription - for example, paracetamol, treatments for diarrhoea, athletes’ foot, sore throats, coughs, colds, warts and ulcers - you have to go to the chemist and buy it yourself.

I've never encountered a drug shortage for my medication(s).

Prescribed drugs are generally the cheapest available that will do the job, you don't get to choose your favourite brand.

Alternative medicines are generally not available on prescription, but they are continually being reviewed for efficacy.

There are vigorous debates going on regarding the provision of cannabis-based medication; currently, it can be prescribed by a doctor, but the NHS will not supply it, this is causing some distress to those who wish to use it, to the extent they are procuring it from the internet and risking prosecution - whatever - it's not free and is very expensive.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
Expat Team

Cynic has explained the situation very clearly.

One of the attractions of moving back to the UK after spending most of my life overseas is because of free healthcare, especially as I am getting older. Perhaps this is the only attraction....

There are certain things that are difficult or impossible to get via the NHS the things I am aware of are usually surrounding mental health...you will suffer in the UK if you rely on these meds, OR spend a lot of time searching for a NHS doctor that is willing to work with a medical plan you already have in place from abroad.

At the moment, HRT patches for women are experiencing a national shortage...and there is no replacement or end in sight. Oddly enough these are readily available in other European countries.

The health care Is not FREE, we pay for it with our taxes.  A lot of people take advantage of the system , i.e. people that have not paid into the system (living abroad) and/or people that could ordinarily afford £1 for ibuprofen without a prescription but still get it on the NHS free prescriptions which costs the rest of us loads more.

The system is a mess and I always say, you get what you pay for.  It’s good if you are on top of your own care and can advocate for yourself but if you want healthcare that is proactive or speedy, you will have to go private. Luckily, private insurance is not ridiculously priced but you still have to jump through hoops For referrals to use your private insurance.

Well I am a Brit and have lived overseas most of my life but getting older now. If I were to return to the UK and get free healthcare then I am fine with other people paying for it with their taxes because that's just the way it works. I also haven't contributed enough from working in the UK to get a state pension, so it sort of works out worse for me.

Shill88 wrote:

Well I am a Brit and have lived overseas most of my life but getting older now. If I were to return to the UK and get free healthcare then I am fine with other people paying for it with their taxes because that's just the way it works. I also haven't contributed enough from working in the UK to get a state pension, so it sort of works out worse for me.

But really would you want to return to the UK Shill88?

CCFCUK wrote:

There are certain things that are difficult or impossible to get via the NHS the things I am aware of are usually surrounding mental health...you will suffer in the UK if you rely on these meds, OR spend a lot of time searching for a NHS doctor that is willing to work with a medical plan you already have in place from abroad.

At the moment, HRT patches for women are experiencing a national shortage...and there is no replacement or end in sight. Oddly enough these are readily available in other European countries.

The health care Is not FREE, we pay for it with our taxes.  A lot of people take advantage of the system , i.e. people that have not paid into the system (living abroad) and/or people that could ordinarily afford £1 for ibuprofen without a prescription but still get it on the NHS free prescriptions which costs the rest of us loads more.

The system is a mess and I always say, you get what you pay for.  It’s good if you are on top of your own care and can advocate for yourself but if you want healthcare that is proactive or speedy, you will have to go private. Luckily, private insurance is not ridiculously priced but you still have to jump through hoops For referrals to use your private insurance.

Stop reading the Mail, Sun and Express.

I have no immediate plans to move back SimCityAT. I am having a great time in Asia, currently in Indonesia. But you know with kids still below 10 years of age I am wondering about their future. As their mum is Indonesian it means when the kids turn 18 we need to choose British or Indonesian citizenship for them. And at the moment we are leaning towards British and giving up their Indonesian citizenship. Then there is university, in order to get the UK rate we'd need to live in the UK for 3 consecutive years should they want to attend university in the UK. But then again, it would be interesting if they could get a scholarship to attend in somewhere different like Japan or South Korea.

So a lot to think about but still a few years to make the decision.