Are you entitled to FREE NHS treatment on a spousal visa?

yeah i have to get some more brith control as my mom cannot send me mine like she thought she could. i just started on the patch.  i have to go to the doctor sometime in the next week or so and see what i can do.i am nervous what do i bring so i can get the birth control without having to pay an arm and a leg for it? i love this thing
  shala
ps i am here and safe and happy with patch

You don't have to take anything with you, Shala -- all birth control is free!   

yeah i have to get some more brith control as my mom cannot send me mine like she thought she could. i just started on the patch.  i have to go to the doctor sometime in the next week or so and see what i can do.i am nervous what do i bring so i can get the birth control without having to pay an arm and a leg for it? i love this thing
  shala
ps i am here and safe and happy with patch

I got on birth control as soon as I got here by going to a family planning clinic. Anyone can go to these....you don't need to be enrolled in the NHS or anything. The only thing the clinic will ask you for is your name. I went in expecting an exam and was surprised when they asked me a few questions, weighed me, checked my blood pressure and then gave me 3 months worth of pills for free.

If you have a doctor's appointment then I assume you are signed up with the NHS and I'm pretty sure the birth control will still be free. I don't know much about the patch or whether the UK doctors prefer certain types of birth control over others. If you haven't signed up with the NHS yet, I think all you might need to bring in is your visa. I don't think I actually even showed them mine though...I just filled out a form.

Yes all forms of birth control are free here.  (For the pedants among us, that's free as in you don't hand over any money, although you do pay for it through your National Insurance contributions. Or someone does).  The FPC is part of the NHS so whether you register with a GP or just go to any old FPC you don't pay.

(For the pedants among us, that's free as in you don't hand over any money, although you do pay for it through your National Insurance contributions. Or someone does). 

 

You don't get a bill, but as they say in economics, 'There's no such thing as a free lunch,' folks.

The key phrase is "healthcare free at the point of delivery", a phrase almost as sacred to Brits as "we the people" is to Americans.  Certainly any politician wishing to reform the NHS would violate this principle at his or her peril.

I just have to add that we were only back in UK for some 2 days when hubby got ill and we went to sign on at the local doctors.  He was not asked for his passport or anything!  After being treated and given his prescription for anti-biotics and taking them for a couple of weeks.. he actually had to go back as he had started to get breathless very easy and was struggling to breath.  Cutting a long story short, the doctor sent him right down to the hospital with a suspected enlarged heart.. it was a worrying time to say the least.  Once we were at the hospital the treatment he received was wonderful and they admitted him that day.  He was put on oxygen for the next 48 hours and given drugs to get rid of the fluid in his lungs.  Glad to say that his colour came back and we all breathed better - more so him .

What I wanted to add here is that at no point was he asked for his visa or any payment towards anything, except of course his prescriptions and at a cost of £6.50 who can moan at that!!

After myself (UKC) living in America for some 3 years, I'm only too thankful that we came back when we did and he was able to get NHS treatment - I will never knock it again .

Pauline

I just got settled in Wimbledon and am going to seek out a GP.  I'm here on a Work Visa and my Civil Partner will be arriving next month.  Hopfully the GP's office will be less of a hassle than what I've been reading.  I did want to make a note regarding the NHS vs the health care in The States, such as it is. 
While it is true that NHS healthcare is funded by taxes and should not be considered free, it's application to the public, specifically prescription coverage, beats anything I witnessed in The States.  Unless you are impoverished and destitute, AND have medical needs, at which point you could apply for Medicaid, the only medical and precription coverage available to you is from your employer, IF they offer it.  The medical plan cost is deducted from your paycheck, $35-$60 per employee and per dependant, and the monthly Doctor's visits and medications have out of pocket costs can easily exceed $70/script/month.  The amount you pay is the same regardless of income, so those making the least payout the same as those making the most. 
One very sad example of the "American" system comes from my sister in Texas.  Her husband is self employed and has no medical plan available to him.  She works at Wal-Mart (ASDA here) full time and placed the entire family of 7 (five kids) on her medical plan from work.  After the deductions from her paycheck for taxes, and medical/prescription coverage, and out of pocket costs for doctor's office visits and medications, her monthly income runs at a deficit.  Her income tax filing for the past three years was a negative amount. 
Imagine having to work full time, for nothing, to give your family the insurance that IF one of them needs medical care, the cost will not impoverish you. 
Since I have arrived here and began working as a nurse, I have been bombarded with complaints about the NHS.  I love telling the complainers the above story, shuts them right up!

National Insurance payers you mean    It is free in the sense that you aren't presented with a bill to pay.

Good evening:

Very true......but th basis of NHS funding is the contributions w make through taxes, especially the National Insurance Contributions (NIC) deducted from our salaries/wages/pay.

Regards

Alexander

Since I have arrived here and began working as a nurse, I have been bombarded with complaints about the NHS.  I love telling the complainers the above story, shuts them right up!

I'm sure it does!    I have heard of several similar stories from the States, some even more dire.     The British love to whinge and whine about most things  but in spite of the difficulties of the NHS (isn't funding a problem in just about everything worthwhile?) we have to be pretty well thankful for it's services, especially in emergencies.   One of the problems of the British NHS is the abuse of it by some people.                                                                                     

Ok it's supposed to be universally available at the point of delivery in emergencies, but if you were to visit a good many A & E (Accident and Emergency) units at weekends especially and witness the violence and physical abuse brought about by drink (and drugs) misuse, then you wonder whether such abusers should be made to pay for any treatment received.   I know that the hospitals never hesitate to prosecute when criminal acts of violence are carried out.

Good luck with your Civil Partner.    I'm in the same situation in that my partner and I will register our Partnership in the late summer.

Regards

Alexander

So for someone who is in UK under HSMP, am I entitled to get free medical service? A person who is in UK under HSMP for the 1st 5 years is not considered a "permanent residence", until he/she apply for one after 5 years in UK.

If I am indeed entitled, what proof of documents do I need? The actual HSMP approval?

On a sidenote, what is this "NIN" number that everyone talking about? Is this like Social Security Number (SSN) here in US?

You were entitled to treatment on the NHS from the minute you stepped foot in the UK.  All the evidence you need is the visa stamp in your passport.

A National Insurance number is a reference number needed for tax purposes...you should get this when you start work, or start looking for work.  There are loads of threads in the jobs section telling you how to get one.  It is not needed to start using the NHS.

Vicky

So for someone who is in UK under HSMP, am I entitled to get free medical service?

The NHS is not free.  It is funded by all employed persons through their NI contributions.

But yes, you are entitled to use it if you are here w/an HSMP visa.

The NHS is not free.

Yes!  You are just entitled not to be directly charged for it!

This is the latest from the Dept of Healt hWebsite:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/International/OverseasVisitors/OverseasVisitorsBrowsableDocument/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4099060&MULTIPAGE_ID=4955329&chk=AO2LKU

http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/International/OverseasVisitors/OverseasVisitorsBrowsableDocument/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4099060&MULTIPAGE_ID=4955314&chk=Kgqt9s

http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/International/OverseasVisitors/OverseasVisitorsBrowsableDocument/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4099060&MULTIPAGE_ID=4955312&chk=STxQmn

Just wanted to say I registered with the local GP which included filling out a form about basic medical history (so I would recommend bringing childhood immunization records with you). Other than that it was pretty basic, I did however have to provide them with a copy of my US passport and spousal visa (photocopy) and I have my check up to complete my registration with them on Sept 6th (I guess to make sure I'm healthy etc before they officially take me on).