Just curious- is this an NHS-visa thing?

Someone I know is (or now was) here on a 6 month work permit (internship)- well 2 weeks ago he fell down a couple flights of stairs and got a nasty concussion and had bleeding in the brain and was in the hospital for a week.  He just went in for a checkup and the doctor told him he had to cut his trip short (work permit expires in 1 month) and told him he had to leave the UK in 2 days. Apparently its really bad.  But why would they force him to leave?  Is it an NHS benefits thing? 

Is the guy entitled to NHS free care??

A DOCTOR informed him to leave the UK???

Next thing, I'll be performing appendectomies!   

This is bullshit.  A person on a full work permit, even if only for six months, should still be able to get NHS treatment.  I have no idea why a doctor would say anythign else.

Vicky

Unless the doctor isn't clued up himself on what the guy can or can't get care wise off the NHS and thinks he is doing this person a favour by suggesting they go home to avoid huge costs or something.

But surely bleeding on the brain is too dangerous a problem for someone to be flying!

That's exactly what I was thinking. That's why I was so confused by it all and was wondering if it was an NHS benefits thing or if something else was going on?   The kid is only 20, he didn't really know why (probably didn't really ask why) and only that he was being forced to go back by a doctor and told him he had to leave by Wednesday.

I agree.... it sounds absurd.

The doctor might not be clued up on how visas work... because I had one doctor tell me I was not entitled to the NHS when I was over here on my fiance visa.

I agree.... it sounds absurd.

The doctor might not be clued up on how visas work... because I had one doctor tell me I was not entitled to the NHS when I was over here on my fiance visa.

Thats intersting..I have been told the same..and that we have to wait for the FLR visa 


I think your friend should get a second opinion...especially about travelling so close after a incident with bleeding on the brain!..I would be in mortal fear if I was him sat on the plane with regards to air pressures etc..

But wouldn't they have told him that he was "ineligible" before they kept him there for 1 week?  (So as at least he would have known the costs? even though we know he is eligible)  

Could be that they thought he might be better off going to his doctor back home? (Maybe he has some kind of other health issues that I don't know about and thought it would be better handled by a doctor who knew his condition)

Still from his story, it seems like a BS NHS related thing

Three facts he needs to bear in mind...

1)  The NHS cannot refuse emergency treatment to anyone

2)  A work permit holder is entitled to NHS treatment

3)  A doctor cannot revoke someone's right to remain in the UK.

This is all your friend needs to worry about.  I agree that he shouldn't fly unless he has been given the all clear by a doctor, but this is a medical issue not an immigration one.  If he finds that his work permit is about to expire and he still doesn't have the all clear then he must apply for a visit visa to cover him.

Vicky

Maybe the doctor meant he'd get treated quicker back home? It's definitely not up to doctors or the NHS to decide who is allowed to be in the country!

I think your friend should get a second opinion...especially about travelling so close after a incident with bleeding on the brain!..I would be in mortal fear if I was him sat on the plane with regards to air pressures etc..

That's what I told him, but he didn't seem to want to take my advice.  He does only have 3 weeks left, so maybe he's already homesick and just said, okay, it is what it is and didn't question it.

Thats intersting..I have been told the same..and that we have to wait for the FLR visa  

Ha, when I went to my GP to register, the receptionist never once asked me to see a visa or to see if I was eligble for NHS.  She was like "What's your NHS number" and I said, "Oh I don't have an NHS number and she was like, oh that's fine, fill this out."  Card came in the mail a few weeks later.  She didn't seem puzzled by an American (and she was asking me where I was from in the states) was trying to register with a GP.  (And this was in small village near Inverness, Scotland, not exactly mecca for Americans)  

Thats intersting..I have been told the same..and that we have to wait for the FLR visa 

You are entitled to NHS care on a fiance visa.

A doctor cannot revoke someone's right to remain in the UK.

I'm thinking now it must be a medical thing- because even if he was a visitor and he wasn't entitled to NHS, he could pay cash and not be forced to leave by a doctor, right?

 

Next thing, I'll be performing appendectomies!   

Hahahaha, that I would like to see

A doctor could NEVER force anyone to leave the UK.  It has nothing to do with him.  TO suggest that your friend has to leave is probably malpractice.

Vicky

TO suggest that your friend has to leave is probably malpractice.

I was wondering about that...