NHS Prescriptions while sailing out of the UK

[Marceline]

Hello - we're a way off with this and still early days with learning to sail, but our mid/longterm goal is to sail to other countries in/out of the EU for a good few years.

We both though have long term prescriptions from the NHS and we are trying to figure out how we can manage to still get regular monthly meds if we're away for long periods of time.

Do others in similar situations return every so often and ask for a few months supply ?

I'm guessing if so we'd still need a UK address/registered with a GP

 

[Tranona]

There is a normal limit of 2 months supply through your GP. You will find that many prescription drugs in the UK are available over the counter in many countries. You may end up with a combination of OTC and private prescription.

Best to discuss with your GP the best way of managing your needs.

 

[Marceline]

Thanks for the info Tranona - we'll check with our GP

 

[Graham376]

Our GP always issues prescriptions for 3 months (NHS Wales) and if asked will double up. Quite funny when Boots pharmacy always says 6 months not allowed but issues medication anyway when I say OK, we'll go to Lloyd's. We have a friend collect prescriptions for us when we're away so usually some in hand on return.

 

[Marceline]

Many thanks Graham - that's handy to know

 

[sailaboutvic]

Like Graham I always got three months , the first year was the hardest to manage but slowly I build up a year supply .
There was away some concern at the airport going back to the boat, in case question was asked why a ihad a carrier bag full of tables .
Luckily the problem never arised , well not yet anyway.

 

[greeny]

Pretty much the same experience as Graham with the GP. One or both of us is usually popping back to uk at around 3 month intervals anyway and we order online through the surgery before we go so its ready for pickup. The GP choses to think that we just do lots of travelling and enjoy long holidays, he hasn't chosen to ask the question about any residency abroad yet although I'm sure he's not stupid.
Just a heads up, our online system wouldn't allow us to order at first because we were abroad but when we used a vpn on the internet connection, the system let us in and we were ok.
p.s. like Vic we always have some buffer stock that we have built up over the years. Can be essential at times like the ash cloud event and covid restrictions. When we have run out we've always managed to get things fairly easily over here in Portugal from the chemist if you show them the old packet with the pharmacy NHS label on it.

 

[Daydream believer]

I recall one forumite on here telling the doctor that they were going away for longer than 12 weeks. When they returned to the UK they found that they had been removed from the surgeries list. When they complained they were told that it was because they had exceeded the 12 week statutory limit. They were not re admitted due to the surgery not accepting any more patients.
I am not sure if you could find that in the search as it was some years ago. However, one might find it prudent to check first if one has a surgery on its limit of patients. In which case one would need to avoid informing them of a long term away from the UK

 

[ashtead]

I have an intermittent need for naproxen -I just build up a stock but I guess it depends on duration of non uk presence. Clear history at GPs of many from South Africa returning to stock up on meds I am told. Chemists often give a temporary repeat if urgent . There is also a move to pharmist prescribing along with paradocs are part of process to address shortage of gp training at colleges/teaching hospitals - has anyone thought of having the surplus of vets cross qualify I wonder?

 

[Daydream believer]

has anyone thought of having the surplus of vets cross qualify I wonder?

With the EU border rules being what they are, I am not so sure that there is a shortage. However, if you have ever seen a vet scrubbing up to examine the rear end of a cow
But then my mate reckons his ex was a right old dog, so I suppose there could be a case for it there somewhere

 

[nortada]

Hello - we're a way off with this and still early days with learning to sail, but our mid/longterm goal is to sail to other countries in/out of the EU for a good few years.

We both though have long term prescriptions from the NHS and we are trying to figure out how we can manage to still get regular monthly meds if we're away for long periods of time.

Do others in similar situations return every so often and ask for a few months supply ?

I'm guessing if so we'd still need a UK address/registered with a GP

Slight tangent.

Whatever the medical implications, as many have found, breaking all contact with the UK, including giving up a UK address, can have many unintended, unwanted consequences. For example, you will no longer be able to register on the boat on the SSR. UK banking could become a problem and there are many more implications.

Little doubt someone with greater knowledge that me, will be along to amplify this.

 

[AndersG]

I recall one forumite on here telling the doctor that they were going away for longer than 12 weeks. When they returned to the UK they found that they had been removed from the surgeries list. When they complained they were told that it was because they had exceeded the 12 week statutaory limit. They were not re admitted due to the surgery not accepting any more patients.
I am not sure if you could find that in the search as it was some years ago. However, one might find it prudent to check first if one has a surgery on its limit of patients. In which case one would need to avoid informing them of a long term away from the UK

I would never tell them since they should remove you if your abroad for more than three months. Any travel insurance is usually based on being registered with a practice.

 

[Marceline]

thanks again for all the info and suggestions - very handy to know

I guess if we do sell up I'll try and keep my UK address at my parent's or my brother's

 

[PlanB]

Re your last post -think very carefully about selling up. You never know when you'll want or need to return, and having a foot in the property market is very helpful.
You could always rent out for the income.
We kept a UK address for 12 years while we were away and in proved useful in so many situations (banking, medical, tax, insurance, boat reg, etc etc).
As far as OTC medicines are concerned, I only know about Spain, and they have reduced the number of off prescription meds in recent years.
And I'm sure you are considering 90/180..........

 

[Neeves]

If you arrive in Australia, however you arrive, and have a bundle of tablets in your possessions, citizen, resident or tourist - you will need a prescription to define what they are and who authorised you to have them. To me this seems reasonable.

Things may change in the UK. In Oz it has been recognised that for a variety of reasons there is no need to visit a GP for lifetime repeat scripts. We can arrange telephone consultation and the GP can re-issue digital scrips, to your phone - at last a reasonable use of a fancy phone - that are valid for 6 months. GPs here can also issue specific scrips to allow you to have 6 months worth of scrips in one 'transaction'. If you destroy your scrip in the washing machine or mistakenly delete your digital scrip - as long as the GP trusts you? they will re-issue a repeat (overlapping) scrip. Part of the understanding is that GPs know their patients and or you know your GP.

Hope springs eternal ??

If you have a UK bank account - keep it active - the bureaucratic hurdles you need to overcome to open a new bank account seem to get higher and higher (as criminals get better and better at infiltrating the systems).

Jonathan

 

[[3889]]

Also.

Re your last post -think very carefully about selling up. You never know when you'll want or need to return, and having a foot in the property market is very helpful.
You could always rent out for the income.
We kept a UK address for 12 years while we were away and in proved useful in so many situations (banking, medical, tax, insurance, boat reg, etc etc).
As far as OTC medicines are concerned, I only know about Spain, and they have reduced the number of off prescription meds in recent years.
And I'm sure you are considering 90/180..........

Also Spanish autonomous regions vary. I can buy my prescription OTC in all regions (cheaper than UK prescription charge) except Cantabria where I need a prescription issued during a Dr appointment. FOC with a EHIC or its replacement but a bit of a faff.

 

[Mistroma]

A lot depends on your GP and what's prescribed. I've told ours for years that we take a long break abroad and might visit relatives in England for a few months on the way home. He now knows we sail in med. for 6 months each year and said he's happy to issue enough to cover that time as we don't take anything needing a frequent review of dosage.

Slight glitch this year as online system wouldn't let me pre-order until I only had a couple of pills left. Doctor sorted it when I emailed and added extra for a small buffer.

I can foresee problems if he retires and I get a younger doctor.?

We always pack our prescriptions in case anyone asks about the pills. However, it's never happened so far.

 

[Marceline]

Lots of really helpful info - many thanks to you all

 

[nortada]

Another tack.

If you have repeat prescriptions, you get the proscription for the next set of drugs when you get your current set of drugs.

You then take this new prescription to your surgery for re-issue a few days before your current supply of drugs expires.

If, over a period of months, before you depart, you get next prescriptions early, you will build up a stock of drugs for while you are away.

While you are away, a relative or friend can collect your prescriptions for you and either mail them on or save them for your next visit to the UK.

Worked well for us for a number of years.

 

[Poignard]

Isn't it true that the NHS is 'a residence based service' for people who are 'ordinarily resident' in the UK?

Isn't it also true that if someone regularly lives outside the UK for more than 183 days a year he /she is not 'ordinarily resident' here?