Bill, be ause we are British citizens.
Chris, because that was tbe arrangement between France and the UK. You were supposed to have all your treatment in France unless you could not find the treatment you needed in France. You were supposed to have your case overlooked by a French doctor, but the French authorities did not understand the regulations and refused some of us solely on the grounds that we were British ex pats within the French health system.
Lorna, can you send me a message with your details as I will take this up with the OverseasNeLth Team for you.
I have warned this team that I will take this up with my MP if I have not re eived the details of how to access this new right for e -pat pensioners.
Dave, whilst ypu spoke to the doctor straightaway, some other person is having their consultation interrupted by your call.
you're right Jane - I haven't. But thanks for the heads up. I'll stay in the Charente.
Graham, you have obviously not been in Macon hospital where I have seen old folk on trolleys in the corridors of the Emergency Department.
Whilst there are many problems in the NHS some people would like to be treated close to family and where there is not a language problem.
We do get pushed rou d spe ialists here as they are paid per visit and the mecical fra ternity do seem to keep each other in business.
And, of course, we mustn't forget the Chancellor's mantra "because, Mr Speaker, we are all in this together".
Except when it comes to a 10% pay rise of course when the rest of the public sector are capped at 1% for the rest of the Parliament... Oh, sorry, silly me, the MP's have an independent body to advise on their salary levels...
So stuff the ex-pat pensioners wanting their winter fuel payment... after 15 years they won't have a vote anyway, so who cares.
But we are all In Europe! And member states have reciprocal agreements.
I have just been to the UK for a week and advised my doctor there that i was permanently resident in France. She said that I would only be entitled to NHS treatment after being registered with a doctor there for 6 months, if I decided to return permanently. I paid £40 to have copies of all my NHS documentation as these are being archived and also paid £40 for an eye test as I wasn't entitled to a free one as I had de-registered from the NHS. Am I missing out here somewhere?
I don't understand the rationale behind the choice of medical treatment in UK or France being based on where you live today. If you have spent your working life paying taxes in UK, then you should be entitled to pensioner benefits including the NHS in your retirement no matter where you live. If you live in France, you should now be paying taxes in France, so it would be fair to opt in to the French health system, especially as the UK Government picks up part of the bill anyway. If you live in France and have a UK Civil Service, Police, Military or similar pension, then you pay tax on it UK as well as declaring in France, so where is the problem in having medical treatment provided in either country? This is one of the benefits of living in the EU.
Personally, I would opt for the French system every day. Of course, I am talking about those us old enough to be 'pensioners'. Now I am off to get my bus pass!!
Ditto bill, couldn’t agree more. We all have a choice and if you opt out of Britain and move abroad don’t expect to have free treatment in Britain. I’m a UK tax payer and I therefore do not expect free treatment here in France.
I am surprised to read that so many people have issues with French health system. I am sure there will always be exceptions, but here in the Vienne the service is fantastic. Can you imagine this in UK...
Call GP at 08:30. He answers (not a receptionist) and gives appointment for 10:00am
He checks the problem and books and x-ray in the next town for the same day.
Pitch up for x-ray at 14:00 and are seen within 10 minutes.
Leave hospital 40 minutes later with a bundle of x-ray pics and a verbal explanation from the consultant
Call GP on the mobile and take results to him.
Get prescription, collect from pharmacy, and back home in time for tea...... all in one day!
It does not end there. My wife is having cancer treatment in Poitiers. A friend has a similar problem and was going back to UK until he found that at our age, he would be refused the same treatment by the NHS on the grounds 'cost effectiveness'. We are convinced that if we were in UK, my wife would not be here now.
For all holders of the S1 formulaire, i.e. in receipt of a British State pension, the UK is the 'competent State' (as it is defined and called) for the Social Security cover for that individual. Every time you go to the doctor or collect a medicine under ordonnance, the French send a bill for the cost (as would otherwise be paid by the French system for a French citizen) to the NHS in the UK. I checked this through a Freedom of Information enquiry and was sent a complete breakdown of my own personal details from the NHS. I was able to check this list against my own use of the French system. So the NHS pay for us anyway. In fact the NHS pay less for us in France because the French State only covers towards about 60% of the cost and as I say it the cost that the French State would pay out for a French citizen that is sought from the UK,
Well said Bill Hollis, I totally agree with you. I live in the UK at the moment and work for the NHS. It is on its knees, no money and thousands of people taking advantage of its ’ free Service’. How can you live in France, then expect to just jump across the channel to get treated in England on the NHS. you chose to live in France, no one forced you there, so use there services. The NHS , has enough ’ health tourists ’ as it is.
I am confused. Surely if you are in receipt of a state reirement pension you request a form S1 and this then ensures that you have access to the french health system, and slso do not have to pay any CSG or CRDT. Is this post about accessing NHS if you return to UK for several months at a time?
I speak as I find Angela. Fortunately, I did not suffer any illnesses when I was in the UK (we left 8 years ago) so perhaps my comments about the NHS might be regarded as anecdotal but I did work in the NHS for over 10 years (but that was 30 years ago...). That said, I do have experience of acquaintances who are being treated for cancer here and my own experiences to draw on. We live in rural France in the Charente and I have nothing but praise for the level of care received. I honestly believe that if I had suffered a stroke in the UK in the same circumstances, I would probably not have the good outcome I now experience. It's very much a personal thing; I can't speak for others. Our 'brush' with the health care system is not without it complications but we seem to be listened to and treated with consideration.
Hold on, whilst we are based in france, and pay French taxes, and pay little or nothing in the uk, why should we benefit from a uk tax funded organisation?
Take your pick pay your money, but don’t expect something for nothing,What was paid ten years ago , paid for that service them & not for the service now,
Graham, are you speaking from experience of the NHS and if so in what area? I live in Dorset for six months of the year and we have first class hospitals and an excellent GP practice. The French healthcare system is not as brilliant as many would have you believe. Waiting times have increased and with ever spiralling costs, cut backs have been made and will continue. Palliative care for terminally ill patients (such as hospices and terminally ill wards) are almost non existent, although moves are afoot to improve this area and I speak from experience as my late husband was treated here for cancer. Yes they throw money at drugs but there is little TLC or dignity for the dying. Bergerac hospital is a prime example and was diabolical. I have family all over the UK as well as in France; Glos, Warks, Northumberland, Hampshire, Devon are all pretty good as most of the London area hospitals. It’s not always a good thing to believe everything you read about the NHS in the media. Other than for minor injuries I would far rather be in a UK hospital than here despite being brought up here and speaking French like a native.
So sorry to hear that Mike. My personal experience, having suffered a stroke and being diagnosed with diabetes, is quite the opposite.
One of the main reasons my wife and I are now considering leaving France is because of the appalling and negligent treatment we have experienced at the hands of the French Health care System.