Using NHS as Visitor

I'm not sure if this is the correct subforum for my post, so please move if it would be better elsewhere. I'm here in Scotland visiting my husband for a month. We've been married for 7 years, living in the US, and are in the process of relocating here to Scotland. We've just moved into the flat that he found for us. But I'm here helping him get the place set up, gathering paperwork for my visa, and just seeing him since we'd been apart for 6weeks.

Well, unfortunately, I believe for the first time in 10 years, I am having a MS relapse. Perfect timing isn't it?  Anyways, I don't have health insurance back in the states, although I do have the option of applying for COBRA, but it would cost us about $1500, at least, not even including the copays for any tests and treatments.

Could I use the NHS while I'm here to get any kind of treatment? I know I will need to make sure I pay for it, as they are cracking down on peeps using/abusing NHS and are not approving visas if they owe $$ to NHS. Is there anyway to know how much it may cost? And would I need to go to a GP or should I go to an A&E instead? My life isn't in immediate danger, but my symptoms are interfering with everyday life and I'm worried they will progressively get worse (and living in a 3rd floor flat isn't good if my balance/walking get any worse).

I don't know if I would be allowed to see a GP since I didn't think I could register with one without a visa. I'm here for another 22 days, and I don't want to cut my visit short and go back to the US for treatment unless I absolutely have to. I do have travel insurance, but I'm pretty certain it does not cover pre-existing conditions or maintenance of an existing condition.  Any advice is most appreciated.

Do you have a NHS Walk-In Centre where you live? It's for stuff that kind of falls between A&E and the GP.  They might be able to help if a GP won't register you as a private patient.

I google searched and couldn't find a walk-in clinic near us in Scotland. It looks like they don't exist outside England.  Is it worth calling my OHs GP to see if they can see me, or should I just go to the A&E?

Go to the A&E...for a regular GP you will need to registry and you can't but A&E will take you.

Hope you feel better

You still may be able to see a GP- call up one and ask if they will see you as a private patient. 

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/OverseasVisitors
http://www.hris.org.uk/patient-information/information-about-health-rights/health-care-for-overseas-visitors/health-care-in-scotland-for-overseas-holidaymakers0/

You can contact a GP in the area where you are staying, and ask to make an
appointment.
• To find a local GP, phone the NHS inform Helpline on 0800 22 44 88 or look on the
internet (www.nhs24.com).
 Staff will ask to see some documents to help them decide if you can get NHS
care. You may be asked to show your EHIC card, your passport, or a document
showing where you live. The GP will decide if you can be registered as a
temporary resident.
 If you are registered as a temporary resident, you will not need to pay to see the
GP.
 The GP will ask you about your medicines and give you an NHS prescription. This
is a document that you can take to any pharmacy. The pharmacist will give you
the medicines listed on the prescription. If you get a prescription before 1 April
2011 you will need to pay £3 for each medicine. From 1 April 2011 this is free.
 If you are not registered as a temporary resident, you may need to pay to see
the GP. The GP may give you a private prescription and you may need to pay
the full price for each medicine on the prescription.

Good luck, nothing like being away from home and not feeling well!

Oh right! I forgot the private patient thing.

Make sure you get a receipt for your services if you go to a GP or something showing they did not make you pay (if they don't).  This way its all on the up and up.

Thanks for the info everyone. I called the 0800 number provided by PB, and the rep told me that I can indeed go to my husband's GP. So I'm going to give them a call in the morning. I hope they won't charge too much.

I should have known this was going to happen after some of this stress of getting ready to move and working in a very hot garage in the weeks before I left. Heat is a very bad thing for those with MS, and KY is in the middle of the heatwave scorching the US atm. Should have known better I suppose. 

Sorry to hear! 

My small little tidbit of advice is to make sure they bill you!

I had to use the NHS as a visitor and didn't get a bill at the time, even though I asked for one.  I figured I could just get one later.  Hah!  I've been trying to get a bill to repay NHS debt, and it has been extremely difficult - even after explaining to accounting departments that I was not entitled to NHS treatment at the time.  And as you know, being able to prove that you've repaid NHS debt is becoming more and more important in the immigration journey.

So if they tell you that it's okay, or they'll just let it go, or they'll be nice - don't let them!  Make sure they bill you, or get some kind of written statement that they are refusing to bill you and they are aware that you are not entitled to free NHS treatment.

Hope you feel better soon; good luck!

Ok, so I went to see the GP today and he said he really can't do much for me, and suggested I go to see a neurologist. So he's going to write me a referral and I have an appt with the private neuro on Tuesday. It's going to cost me £240 for the appt, plus any prescriptions he writes.

Now they didn't charge me for the appt at the surgery, so should I be worried about this? He didn't even examine me or anything, just listened to my symptoms and agreed that it's likely MS, and then made a phone call to the neuro's office to find out the next earliest appt.

Ok, so I went to see the GP today and he said he really can't do much for me, and suggested I go to see a neurologist. So he's going to write me a referral and I have an appt with the private neuro on Tuesday. It's going to cost me £240 for the appt, plus any prescriptions he writes.

Now they didn't charge me for the appt at the surgery, so should I be worried about this? He didn't even examine me or anything, just listened to my symptoms and agreed that it's likely MS, and then made a phone call to the neuro's office to find out the next earliest appt.

I shouldn't worry about the GP bit, NHS GP's aren't set up for billing.

I shouldn't worry about the GP bit, NHS GP's aren't set up for billing.

Mine is and charged me for my appointment to get a referral.

Now they didn't charge me for the appt at the surgery, so should I be worried about this? He didn't even examine me or anything, just listened to my symptoms and agreed that it's likely MS, and then made a phone call to the neuro's office to find out the next earliest appt.

Another poster (Aquilla, I think?) went to the trouble of getting a letter from the GP's office stating that they weren't billing her and that she had a balance of £0. Just handy to have in case anyone from the NHS or UKBA decided to investigate in the future and assumed that you had an unpaid bill.

I'm so sorry to hear about this. I also suffer from MS, and relapses are scary. Especially when you don't have healthcare readily available. I don't know much about using the NHS as a visitor (I used the walk-in clinic and paid a few years ago, but that clearly is not an option for you) but I hope that you get some care soon. Fingers crossed for you. 

In case my info is helpful to anyone else, here's an update. I had an appointment with the private neuro. He examined me and verified its a relapse. Given my history, he decided it wasn't necessary for me to have a scan to confirm it, and has given me a prescription for meds to reduce inflammation in my brain (which will hopefully send me back into a remission). I've taken the Rx to a local pharmacy and the meds will only cost us about £96. That's not too shabby to be honest. Between the office visit and the Rx, the total cost to us has been approx. £340. I can't even imagine what that would have cost us in the US with no health insurance. I'm willing to guess at least 2-3 times that amount.

Glad you were able to get some help Bluegrass Lass