Re: NHS "shake up" why?
 

They come here to use it because it's FREE! Even if they aren't British, not even from the EEC, they get free treatment once they're here(not free actually, our taxes are paying for it).
YOU try getting FREE treatment abroad, even in the EU, you won't get it, if you retire to Spain or other EEC countries you need health insurance.If you're taken ill on holiday it costs you a fortune, even in the EU and you try to use your card(E111?).
Are we MAD? Is there any other country in the world where you can walk into a hospital and get free treatment, wherever you come from?
How much would stopping that save and how much would it cut down waiting lists?

Re: NHS "shake up" why?
 

It has been mentioned by a few on here & here is further information in regard to PFI. The need for shake up within the NHS is due to the lack of funds available because of poorly organised contracts based on PFI agreements undertaken by the last Governments Health Ministers, read on ! :(

Labour left taxpayer £60billion bill for new hospitals - Telegraph

Re: NHS "shake up" why?
 

Shushhhh Dave your not suposed to mention the last governments failings

Re: NHS "shake up" why?
 

Anyone with half an eye and only a quarter of a brain could see that this form of finance was going to be trouble........and for a long time to come.
If we can't afford something then there are other alternatives to funding it.
Many of the cottage hospitals were funded by public subscriptions........yes, I know that it takes time to raise funds for such huge items of expenditure.........didn't the local population fund the MRI scanner.
I know my own unit raised funds for a baby scanner.
This kind of fund raising brings communities together to fulfil a need, and so the good that it does is not just financial.......it leads to community cohesion, and a shared identity.

Re: NHS "shake up" why?
 

You are wrong Gordon. I had a heart attack in Spain in 1998, received treatment in intensive care and spent six days in Hospital all on E111.
My wife had to visit on two occasions. once with an eye injury and once with an ankle injury all treated with the use of E111.

Re: NHS "shake up" why?
 

the boss had to use the new card that replaced the E-111 only last week, n yes we had to supply our hol insurance, but it cost us sod all, apart from the prescription the hospital gave her, i have just rung our insurance n yes we can even claim that back, i have used this method before in spain n not cost us out.

Re: NHS "shake up" why?
 

Roy got major treatment free and cashman only paid for the prescription but I remember reading books about retiring to Spain( glad we didn't ) which said you must have private insurance, even if you were living there or you could end up with big bills.
So does anyone know what the overall position is for treatment in the EU?

Re: NHS "shake up" why?
 

Not too sure about retirement Gordon, what i do know is when i lived yon, i had me "Residencia" n paid social security equivalent which covered all members of me family, so cost me nowt fer all the treatment me late missus required. since i came back 10/11 yrs ago, have used E-111 or new equivalent approx 4/5 times without any cost to me.:)

Re: NHS "shake up" why?
 

Have a gander here.

Healthcare abroad

Re: NHS "shake up" why?
 

Don't know about the whole, but in France -
If you are a resident you get the form from Newcastle hand it in to their NHS (CPAM)
A few weeks later you are issued with a Carte Vitale, which has to be shown when attending anywhere concerned with health - this card carries all your basic medical data.
Visit Dr - cost is E22 but CPAM send you a refund of E17.
Visit Specialist - same as Doctor
Prescription Charge - you pay 30%
Top-up insurance can easily be obtained at various levels (costs), which then covers all the payments including private hospital room, spectacles, dental and physio.
A visitor using EHICC may have to pay the total cost and then reclaim it from Newcastle - one incidence I know of took 2 weeks to get the reimbursement paid into her UK Account