NHS entitlement.

[TRNCVaughan]

http://in-cyprus.com/new-nhs-rules/

[kaiserphil]

I wondered what had happened to that proposal.

OK for me, but not for all, sadly.

[TRNCVaughan]

Me, too. The next question is where do we get a Form S1 from?

[tomsteel]

Ref S1 form. It is only for expats living within the EU. 4 years ago I applied for it from UK, had to hand in my EHIC they then sent me the form. Travelled to Nicosia (RoC Min of Health) and received their health card using a RoC friend's address. Later UK notified me that as I live in the TRNC, not within the EU, I was now neither entitled to NHS, EHIC or treatment in the RoC using form S1 and they would notify the RoC to cancel my S1 entitlement. 50 years paying stamp, taxes and a veteran: some treatment!

[kaiserphil]

That's disgraceful Tom. If the UK Government can treat the TRNC as Cyprus for some purposes, then why not for this?

[sophie]

I concur with tomsteel. In December 2011 my Husband actually had a date and time for a major operation. Then Overseas Patients Department (may be renamed now) rang our UK phone number, left message for us to call their Norwich number and stopped his Op. over the phone. We live in TRNC not Cyprus i.e. down South. That's after 48 years of paying NI and living permanently in the UK and still paying UK taxes. Please don't tell me things have changed because they haven't, but you have to read pages of very small fine print to discover this.

[Groucho]

That's disgraceful Tom. If the UK Government can treat the TRNC as Cyprus for some purposes, then why not for this?

"“UK state pensioners who live elsewhere in the European Economic Area (EEA) will now have the same rights to NHS care as people who live in England. "

The EEA includes amongst other countries specifically northern Cyprus so no need to feel left out...

[Josie]

I'm confused

Can I get treatment if I return to UK or Not and I didn't think the EE blue card applied to TRNC anyway so can I use it or not ?????

Sorry if I'm misreading this information, but like the rest of you what have I paid all my working life for ??????

[Kavenkoy]

Can a TRNC born and bred citizen hold a UK passport ?
When they apply to come to UK are coming as a citizen of Cyprus the whole island ?


Kav

[tomsteel]

Groucho, whilst Cyprus is an EEA-listed country, the UK DWP (OHC) statement of June '13, in writing, to me was,

"Our records show that you are a resident in Turkey and that your address contains a northern Cyprus area code. Neither Turkey or northern Cyprus are member states within the EEA. The UK has no jurisdiction or responsibility for healthcare coverage for UK citizens who choose to reside in countries outside of the EEA. If an individual chooses to reside in a country that is a non-EEA country, the individual must accept responsibility for their own healthcare cover."

Subsequently they demanded our EHICs be returned and rescinded the forms S1 issued by the RoC Min of Health, Nicosia for my wife, son and me.

Josie. Each case is separate. I would suggest you contact the UK DWP (OHC) and seek their view having outlined your ordinarily residency status, age, UK State Pension holder etc.

Kav. I believe a TRNC citizen can hold a UK passport if eligible to have one. The nub of the UK healthcare provision appears to be one of 'ordinarily resident' in a EAA-listed country, not an individual's citizenship status. So, if the TRNC citizen is ordinarily residing in the RoC, NHS treatment is available in the UK. If residing in the TRNC, no free NHS healthcare. Well, that's my take on the subject anyway.

[sophie]

One thing I forgot to say was, the Department said they might have made an exception provided he produced and followed these instructions. Gave details of his Passport to show that he did not leave the UK for a full 6 months after landing and stayed at the same address, then he could have joined the Operation queue again.. Produced receipts from shops and ATM machines during that 6 months. We still have a GP in UK and it was she who had recommended the major OP. in the first place, but that was irrelevant as far as the Department were concerned. The ladies we spoke to in the Overseas Department were extremely helpful and sympathetic and did everything they could to find a way around the problem, but to no avail. As one of them said (and it was probably recorded but she didn't care) "there are times when I hate my job. I have to say NO to people like yourself who deserve to have the use of the NHS for major Ops but have to watch all and sundry being rubber stamped through the system" She was retiring in 3 months and I don't think she cared anymore.

[Kavenkoy]

Hi Tomsteel

Reason why I ask is easy .
I know two very respected hoteliers who have both flown to UK in recent years to under go NHS free operations and treatment .
I know one has not set foot in the UK since 1994 ,yet flown there no problem for free bits and bobs .

It always appears to me the UK wants to go for easy meat ,the good old expat who they still want tax for and still want to make public headlines about .....

I think NHS is over crowded simply because of all the EU and outside migrants that land for the freebies
Myself at presnt require physio .....I am paying private rather than endure the 2 weeks trying to get a doctors appointment ,then 5 months ringing trying to get the doctor to pay from his budget some basic physio ...then another 3montsh up waiting for the appointment ......all that and I pay bupa .

It is not fair if your NI says paid up member please treat as urgent ....

[wanderer]

Midland news bbc this morning a woman has revived 30 years of in patient and out patient treatment for chronic breathing problems at the QE Birmingham
Has been told she no longer qualifies for treatment as she lives over the border in Wocestershire
What chance do you stand in the tRNC

[waddo]

Your Mother country will always take care of you!!!

Sorry to the last person who phoned me but I have just sold my last Squadron of Flying Pigs and do not expect any more till after the next UK General Election.

As an ex-Serviceman I do expect fair treatment should I ever step foot in the UK again and require the services of the NHS - fair treatment probably means I can live under a bridge for six months before anyone would bother to talk to me anyway.

[Dalartokat]

When it was announced that the new regulations were to start in April regarding NHS treatment for Ex Pats I wrote to the NHS asking them regards those ex pats in TRNC. Here is the reply and I have only taken out my surname.



Our ref: DE00000921374

Dear Mrs

Thank you for your correspondence of 19 February and 9 March about access to NHS services for expatriates living in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. I have been asked to reply.

As you are aware, the changes to the charging regulations affect former UK residents, including expatriates, depending on where they currently reside.

From 6 April 2015, former UK residents now living in a European Economic Area (EEA) country, which includes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as part of the Republic of Cyprus, will access NHS services in the UK in one of two ways:

· If you are in receipt of a UK state pension and are registered in the Republic of Cyprus to access healthcare with an S1 form, you will have the right to return to the UK for all NHS treatment. This also includes elective treatment and effectively means that ex-pat UK state pensioners living in Cyprus have the same rights to NHS services as people resident in the UK.



· If you are not in receipt of a UK state pension and are registered for healthcare in Cyprus through its public healthcare system, you will need to show your Cyprus-issued European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), or personal health insurance that covers your healthcare for the duration of your visit to the UK. This does not include elective treatment.



Treatment in A&E departments and at GP surgeries in the UK will remain free to all.

Details about accessing healthcare in the Republic of Cyprus can be found on the NHS Choices website, at:

http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/healthcare ... yprus.aspx

I hope this reply is helpful.

Yours sincerely,

Charlene Carter
Ministerial Correspondence and Public Enquiries
Department of Health

[waddo]

Dalartokat, many thanks for the information, it gives us something to fight with if nothing else. I note this is yet another department that has no idea where and what the TRNC is in regards to the RoC! Have you tried to gain a form S1 yet or is this another catch 22 in that because you are in the TRNC you ca't have one but if you have an address in the RoC you can?

[Dalartokat]

Waddo, I found the reply, after having to read it 3 times, totally gobsmacking and agree with you that it is obvious departments are not aware of the situation or individuals.

[Dalartokat]

I have just had to chuckle to myself. I went onto the link above in my posting and started to read down and got to the "Tip"....................I will leave it to you all, to read the nonsense this all makes.

I can't copy & paste it, it will not let me.

[waddo]

The plot thickens!!! I think that what they are saying in the "Tip" is that if you hold a S1 it will not work in the TRNC - that is fair enough as it stands - however, their reply to you seems to indicate that if you do hold a S1 that you can use it in the RoC and that you can obtain a S1 because you live in an EEA country (even through that country is not recognised?) so there you have it - or don't!!!

I just love this sort of thing and will now write to the NHS and find out which part of them is not quite with the picture. That would be the part that starts with N and ends with S I think, lol.

[Dalartokat]

Just tying themselves in knots, it would be simpler to say your not entitled, but they can't, so they cover themselves by saying it's there for you but not our fault you can't access.

[Groucho]

Groucho, whilst Cyprus is an EEA-listed country, the UK DWP (OHC) statement of June '13, in writing, to me was,

"Our records show that you are a resident in Turkey and that your address contains a northern Cyprus area code. Neither Turkey or northern Cyprus are member states within the EEA. The UK has no jurisdiction or responsibility for healthcare coverage for UK citizens who choose to reside in countries outside of the EEA. If an individual chooses to reside in a country that is a non-EEA country, the individual must accept responsibility for their own healthcare cover."

Subsequently they demanded our EHICs be returned and rescinded the forms S1 issued by the RoC Min of Health, Nicosia for my wife, son and me.

Tomsteel

See above and given this response from UK Gov... "From 6 April 2015, former UK residents now living in a European Economic Area (EEA) country, which includes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as part of the Republic of Cyprus, will access NHS services in the UK in one of two ways:"

I think UK Gov does not give out consistent information about people living in the TRNC and you should push back...

[sophie]

I don't want to start another thread, so will keep this brief and then leave it!!) Five years ago I was refused a UK credit card from a particular UK bank because " your address refers to Turkey" I argued this point for 6 months right up to the then Financial Director, finally they replied that they would entertain no further correspondence as it was not company policy to issue credit cards to anyone residing in Turkey.

Sorry to highjack but relevant to Message 21.

[waddo]

Sophie, I fought the same issue with my bank - that would be Nationwide just in case you wondered - it took me some time and quite a few emails but at last I won the case and not only have their credit card plus debit card but they also post my mail to my P.O. box - that because I sent them pictures of the mail open to everyone in one Muktar office and then the P.O. box I hold in Girne. They gave in when I asked them where they would like their mail sent to - lol. However, Lloyds - to name another bank - will not send any mail to my P.O. address because it is in Turkey (wonderful grasp of geography Lloyds have got) so I have given up with them. Most banks have a "Thing" about Turkey and credit cards but they are happy to accept money sent from Turkey, can't think why???

I think it is just a case of keeping pushing the thing forward - eventually they tie themselves up in knots and give you and "IN" to wriggle with. I am going to start my push with the NHS next week once I have found out all the junk they have on their web sites. After all, nothing to lose as I am not going back to UK anyway.

[karmels]

waddo, God bless you, and I hope you get a answer that is in favour of all the expats who live in the TRNC and need this information.

[elkiton]

Just a note, last year Natwest sent my wife notice that in 30 days they were closing her account and revoking her credit / debit cards as, in their (my paraphrased) words "Ex-pats are not customers to whom they can sell financial products, and company policy is to shut the accounts." We appealed through their process, and as expected were rejected. The account was duly closed, no further appeal. She did have an address out here, as did I, plastic cards were not dispatched on the grounds that "Turkey is an insecure country, risk of loss and fraud is too high.
I switched all my mailing addresses back to a family member pronto, ditto with the driving licence and will never show a non UK address again.

[waddo]

elkiton, maybe I was successful because I keep a mailing address (at a friends house) in the UK - or more likely that all of our pensions are paid in to that account every month so the Nationwide makes money out of us all the time - who can tell?

[elkiton]

I think you are right, Diana changed her mailing address to one out here, that was the mistake we made....ditto the UK driving licence. Luckily I managed to change that back to a UK mailing address just before they DVLC started enforcing the EU legislation which mandated that you could only hold a UK licence if you were a resident there. They sent me chapter and verse when a friend tried to change his back a few months later, asking for utility bill proof of UK residency,