Coverage questions

My wife and I are getting ready to move over to London soon, but she had questions about her medical conditions. Nothing serious, but she wanted to know.

1.) How do dentists compare? I searched on the forum and saw some hit and miss situations, but is there really a multi-year waiting list on the NHS, or is that a per office thing?

2.) On a related note, how are orthodontists covered? She has a retainer now - will she be able to get it adjusted periodically over there?

3.) Are psychologists offered under the NHS? She goes once a month now for about 40 minutes. If they are offered, is going regularly a problem with wait times?

4.) Do we need to get our medical records from our current doctors to bring over with us, or do the NHS doctors request them?

5.) Is there an equivalent for pretty much every American drug? Better yet, is there someone we could call or a service we could check to see if she'd be able to get her medications over there? This is probably her biggest concern as she's finally on meds she likes.

Sorry for dumping the questions, but we need to make our final decision about moving this weekend,and like I said, she's mostly nervous about these. Thanks!

1.) How do dentists compare? I searched on the forum and saw some hit and miss situations, but is there really a multi-year waiting list on the NHS, or is that a per office thing?

It depends on the location - I've been registered with my current NHS dentist since I was born, so I'm not sure what the waiting list is like for my area. Usually, you can do a search for NHS dentists on the NHS website and it will tell you which surgeries are accepting new NHS patients. However, if you go private/get insurance, you can be treated just about anywhere.

2.) On a related note, how are orthodontists covered? She has a retainer now - will she be able to get it adjusted periodically over there?

I would think so, but I've not had orthodontic treatment before, so I'm not sure.

3.) Are psychologists offered under the NHS? She goes once a month now for about 40 minutes. If they are offered, is going regularly a problem with wait times?

It will probably depend on what she goes for - she would have to ask her GP once she's in the UK whether she will be able to see one on the NHS. If she can't see an NHS one, she might have to go private.

4.) Do we need to get our medical records from our current doctors to bring over with us, or do the NHS doctors request them?

You'll need to take them over from the US with you - as far as I know they won't request them.

5.) Is there an equivalent for pretty much every American drug? Better yet, is there someone we could call or a service we could check to see if she'd be able to get her medications over there? This is probably her biggest concern as she's finally on meds she likes.

You could do an online search to see if the drugs are available in the UK (I would imagine that most would be though) - they may have different brand names, but you could see if there are equivalents with the same ingredients. I used to work in a pharmacy and we had a big 2-volume book of all the medications sold in every country in the world, so we could look up UK equivalents to foreign drugs and vice versa.

1.) How do dentists compare? I searched on the forum and saw some hit and miss situations, but is there really a multi-year waiting list on the NHS, or is that a per office thing?

I'm sure the quality of dentists is variable across the UK (just like the US - you get good and bad ones anywhere!); however, I really like my dentist and have no problems getting in twice a year for routine cleaning and polishing. 

4.) Do we need to get our medical records from our current doctors to bring over with us, or do the NHS doctors request them?

You need to bring them over from the US. 

And I highly recommend that you make photocopies of them to keep for your records before giving them to the NHS.  I originally registered at a GP near Bristol and gave them my medical records.  I moved to London and my GP in Bristol said they would send over the records; however, my London GP never got them.  The GP in Bristol insists they sent them over, and they don't know why they never arrived in London.  I'm still chasing them up as my specialist really needs them.

5.) Is there an equivalent for pretty much every American drug? Better yet, is there someone we could call or a service we could check to see if she'd be able to get her medications over there? This is probably her biggest concern as she's finally on meds she likes.

I Googled before moving over; that was the best I could do.  In my experience, most of the drugs are available in the UK (though sometimes with a different brand name, but it's still the same drug).  There was only one drug not available in the UK at all (still in clinical trials here); however, we were able to find a suitable alternative that worked for me.  Also, there may be meds available in the UK not available in the US - and those might work better.  This happened to me, and it was amazing.