British expats may soon have access to NHS

annanirvanna · Post by **annanirvanna** » Thu 03 Jul 2014 9:04 pm

Found this news item on a couple of sites. Draft proposals contained in a government paper entitled “Sustaining services, ensuring fairness.” It is now expected that the findings of the public consultation will be analysed, and if they are in accordance with the government paper’s proposals, qualifying British expats could soon gain access to free medical care on the NHS in England. The qualifications are anyone who has paid 7 years or more N/I contributions. At last something fair and positive if it is passed and becomes law. Lets hope fairness prevails

This is 2 seperate links if anyone wants to read in full.

http://britishexpats.com/articles/uk/expats-nhs/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/expat ... tored.html

Hilltop · Post by **Hilltop** » Fri 04 Jul 2014 4:08 am

These reports are a year old and generated much discussion on the various boards. Has anyone seen any updates?

sophie · Post by **sophie** » Fri 04 Jul 2014 7:29 am

There is another believe that any ex-pat who has contributed a minimum of 5 years tax in the UK is now entitled to free treatment. However if you read the smallest of small print you will find this is the case if you are taken ill and require an operation whilst visiting the UK. You can still not legally plan an operation in advance as it were. Please don't come back and give me chapter and verse of the people who are and have "planned Ops in advance" I know they are and are lucky to be getting away with it. After paying 48years of NI in the UK and still paying tax in the UK, we have been refused two very necessary OPs. This can be read up in the UK Gov Health for Expats web sites. I don't know the except wording for the web site, sorry.

meldy · Post by **meldy** » Fri 04 Jul 2014 9:01 am

I know the articles only mention England, but does anyone know if the changes would apply to the NHS UK wide?