BHC Roadshow 'Access to Healthcare in the UK'

[The OddMajor]

The British High Commission, Cyprus invites all British residents to a roadshow by the Consular and Overseas Healthcare Team (from the UK) to be held at the following venues on Wednesday 21st October; 11am at St Andrew’s church hall in central Girne with a maximum of 70 seats. 4.30pm at the Ambassador Suite of the Chateau Lambousa hotel in Lapta which can accommodate 300 plus attendees. Subjects for discussion include ‘Access to Healthcare in the UK’, ‘Usage of the European Health Insurance Card’, ‘Integration to Life in Cyprus’ and ‘The Role of Consular’. Reverend Wendy Hough is facilitating the first roadshow and the RBL Kyrenia Branch the second and several NGO’s in the TRNC have been invited including CESV, SSAFA, Tulips, BRS, Friends of the Emergency Services (112’s) and the British Cemetery Committee who will all have information stands for your perusal at the Ambassador Suite. The roadshows are expected to last approximately 2.5hrs and bar facilities will be available at each location. For reservations you are requested to email the BHC direct at: Nicosia.consular@fco.gov.uk advising which event you wish to attend, please indicate if you are a member of any of the above mentioned organisations.

Why don't you have a look at the 'TRNC Events' on the main 'Board Index' to see what other RBL Kyrenia Branch events are on offer.

[Ragged Robin]

I emailed the BHC as suggested asking to reserve two places, but have had no response. I need to know in advance that I have a place as I have to arrange a lift and dog sitting, also I have mobility problems so need to be sure I can get a seat! Does anyone know if the BHC should reply to these requests, or is one expected to turn up in the hope that ones name has been put on a list? Alternatively does anyone please have a phone number for them? I tried looking it up on Google but could not find a phone number that related to the email address.

[kaiserphil]

Wonder whatever happened to the proposal that ex-pats would be entitled to use the NHS?

Seems to have gone quiet on that front since the general election.

Or does anyone know more?

[Ragged Robin]

Maybe I will find out next Wednesday - that is if I can get a place -I sent a further email to the address given but all I have got so far is an automatic acknowledgement referring me things I did not ask about anyway and telling me what the BHC cannot do!

[Loobyloo]

You should get a response I have booked this way.First I got the standard confirmation that the email had been received then a day later the place confirmation.

[tomsteel]

We also received confirmation of our bid for 2 places.

[The OddMajor]

Hi Ragged Robin, the Consular assistant dealing with bookings is Nancy Antoniou who can be contacted on -

00357 22 861 365 or 00357 22 861 200

Email: nancy.antoniou@fco.gov.uk or UKinCyprus@fco.gov.uk

[Ragged Robin]

Thank you very much for your reply Dukes. Apparently they have a backlog waiting for replies, so it looks as if there are a lot of people interested!

[The OddMajor]

the St Andrews church venue is now full at 80 people. The Chateau already has 180 booked in.

[waddo]

Good old BHC - now they know that there are more than 380 British residents living in the TRNC - wonder how many they thought there was?

[keepsmiling]

I'm hoping that there will be a summary of these topics by the BRS, on their web page. Not everyone can physically manage to get to either even, despite being very interested.

[Ragged Robin]

keepsmiling makes a good point. And not everyone is a member of the BRS either, nor wants to be. I am hoping that the BHC will provide some handouts/fact sheets and/or a website address for more info, not only to pass on to people who can't get there, but to help my own aging memory. plus the fact the acoustics aren't brilliant at the Girne venue.

[tomsteel]

When, in recent times, has the BHC ever provided useful information to UK expats living in the TRNC? I would not hold your breath for it doing so now either.

[sophie]

Some years ago, we all went through this fiasco at the H.C. We attended the second shift and after about 30 minutes I could stand it no longer. I stood up and asked the so called expert from UK "was he aware that he was talking to people who lived in the TRNC." This was because he kept on referring to The Island of Cyprus and what we were entitled to. They had given two of their talks in the South prior to our sessions and it was blatantly obvious that the 20 year old had absolutely no idea that the North and South fell into completely different categories. I'm still not sure whether he realised that Turkish was the language spoken up here or that we had Mosques and the South churches. It was quite clear that he and presumably his colleagues were totally unprepared. We're supposed to have bookings for the Wednesday session, but I don't hold out much hope.

[Dalartokat]

Some years ago, we all went through this fiasco at the H.C. We attended the second shift and after about 30 minutes I could stand it no longer. I stood up and asked the so called expert from UK "was he aware that he was talking to people who lived in the TRNC." This was because he kept on referring to The Island of Cyprus and what we were entitled to. They had given two of their talks in the South prior to our sessions and it was blatantly obvious that the 20 year old had absolutely no idea that the North and South fell into completely different categories. I'm still not sure whether he realised that Turkish was the language spoken up here or that we had Mosques and the South churches. It was quite clear that he and presumably his colleagues were totally unprepared. We're supposed to have bookings for the Wednesday session, but I don't hold out much hope.

The South is having it's own Roadshow Sophie, so will be interesting to hear if anyone would have learnt from the last meeting you attended.


http://cyprus-mail.com/2015/10/10/briti ... or-expats/

[trooper]

I attended the Lambousa session today and the first thing we were told was that nothing has changed re access to the NHS then proceeded to tell us all about what the consular service can do for us . Fascinating stuff about lost passports, being arrested, death etc but there was an expectation that there would be news about the NHS.
wrong!
I left after about half an hour of a frankly poor presentation.
For those who couldn't get there, you missed nothing.

[sophie]

Have the same feeling as you Trooper. I didn't go to hear about the percentages of dead people they dealt with in the South in relation to the North. Nor how many arrested people there had been in the South, in particular Ayia Napa and what was the point of the Quiz at the beginning? I did get the feeling that the HC personnel were over egging the pudding as to what they could achieve. It was mostly negative.

We were about half down the room, but the folks nearer the back probably could not hear what was going on, particularly as some of those at the front started having one to one conversations with the representatives. All in all, not the most impressive presentation I've been to. Probably the most informative remarks were made by the BRS representative. I feel the NHS reps made a wasted journey from Spain, which is were they are based I understand.

[Bert]

Did those dissatisfied voice their opinion in the feedback or verbally to the presenters???

[sophie]

Yes Bert, I believe quite a number of them did.

[muffin1]

I think that this is a case of "don't shoot the messenger". I attended the roadshow in St Andrews hall and felt that the presentation was professional and informative, even if we didn't hear what we had all hoped for. We have all chosen to live in an embargoed country and we have to accept that we are not legally entitled to the various priveleges such as NHS treatment which we would have in EU countries. Whilst I fully endorse the argument that we have worked until retirement age and paid millions of pounds in tax and N.I. - I think it most unlikely that the British Government will capitulate and offer NHS treatment if you come from Northern Cyprus. The Speaker pointed out quite clearly that at present the Government stance is that NHS treatment is for those who are living in the UK and that if we choose to go back permanently then we will get our entitlement.