NHS Prescriptions while sailing out of the UK

[greeny]

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

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

Fairly sure you are correct but not if you are retired as many of us are, and S1 registered. Once retired you are entitled to healthcare in your country of citizenship i.e. UK and also in your country of residence. The country of residence claims all costs back from the UK System anyway once you are retired and S1.

 

[Poignard]

Fairly sure you are correct but not if you are retired as many of us are, and S1 registered. Once retired you are entitled to healthcare in your country of citizenship i.e. UK and also in your country of residence. The country of residence claims all costs back from the UK System anyway once you are retired and S1.

Now that is very interesting, and something I might take advantage of if I move to France, but doesn't the S1 require you to be registered as a resident with the health care service in a specific overseas country?

If you are travelling from country to country, as I think the OP plans to do, rather than settling in one in particular, then will you qualify for a S1?

Aren't you, in fact, a citizen of the UK but a resident of nowhere?

 

[ashtead]

All I can say is many from South Africa seem to use the service-I guess they might be just working in SA but the percentage of such patients indicates they might not all be resident

 

[nortada]

Now that is very interesting, and something I might take advantage of if I move to France, but doesn't the S1 require you to be registered as a resident with the health care service in a specific overseas country?

If you are travelling from country to country, as I think the OP plans to do, rather than settling in one in particular, then will you qualify for a S1?

Aren't you, in fact, a citizen of the UK but a resident of nowhere?

Assessing ordinary residence: nationality policy guidance.

Think if you do not have residency elsewhere you will remain a UK Ordinary Resident.

S1 is very similar to longer term E/GHIC.

To get S1, I understand that you have to have residency in another country and whilst S1 entitles you to free healthcare when in the UK and other countries can charge the UK for the cost of your healthcare, in theory, you are no longer registered with a GP surgery in the UK so will no longer be able to get UK NHS prescriptions.

With G/EHIC, rather than S1, there is no question of your residential status and you will remain with your current NHS Surgery.

In practise, unless told you you, your S1 status, your current GP Surgery will not be advised Newcastle.

General advice, when ever possible keep stum about your medical status - yes - stay under the radar.?

 

[greeny]

Now that is very interesting, and something I might take advantage of if I move to France, but doesn't the S1 require you to be registered as a resident with the health care service in a specific overseas country?

If you are travelling from country to country, as I think the OP plans to do, rather than settling in one in particular, then will you qualify for a S1?

Aren't you, in fact, a citizen of the UK but a resident of nowhere?

Yes you need to be resident of your "new" country and register the S1 there. Nortada has pretty much summed it up. If not resident then you would have to go the EHIC/GHIC route I would assume.

 

[Poignard]

Thanks Nortada and Greeny.

This might also interest the OP:

Ordinary residence tool

 

[Zing]

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

You can lose your right to prescriptions and NHS and other treatment and Council care services if you lose ‘ordinary residence’ status. This is a totally different concept from nationality, citizenship, domicile and tax residence, all of which are separate issues. It relies on them proving you are no longer settled in the UK. There is no legal definition of it and the concept is woolly, but there is some guidance here:

Ordinary residence tool

If you emigrate, but retain a house you can still lose your ‘ordinary residence’ status. I know of someone in that category that had to pay.

As to getting drugs, as others said, build up a stock by getting repeat scripts early.

 

[AndersG]

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?

No. For NHS it is 3 months. They don't care if you are ordinarily resident.

 

[nortada]

No. For NHS it is 3 months. They don't care if you are ordinarily resident.

Not from my experience. Out of the UK for up to 6 months at a stretch and we never had any problems getting repeat prescriptions.

 

[DownWest]

Footnote on France. They will give you an 'exceptional' extension on your old prescription if you are running out. UK friend was staying for a bit and short of meds, so we went to the pharmacy and I explained. They handed over without question on the sight of the empty box.

 

[grumpygit]

Here in Greece you can get most things over the counter but if it is a drug that needs to be prescribed you go to a state medical centre with your GHIC and get a prescription or to a private doctor that may charge 5 euro's for the pleasure. Obviously the price may be a criteria but what's the price of being free to sail to such wonderful places.

 

[grumpygit]

Assessing ordinary residence: nationality policy guidance.

Think if you do not have residency elsewhere you will remain a UK Ordinary Resident.

S1 is very similar to longer term E/GHIC.

To get S1, I understand that you have to have residency in another country and whilst S1 entitles you to free healthcare when in the UK and other countries can charge the UK for the cost of your healthcare, in theory, you are no longer registered with a GP surgery in the UK so will no longer be able to get UK NHS prescriptions.

With G/EHIC, rather than S1, there is no question of your residential status and you will remain with your current NHS Surgery.

In practise, unless told you you, your S1 status, your current GP Surgery will not be advised Newcastle.

General advice, when ever possible keep stum about your medical status - yes - stay under the radar.?

Just to add a little. The S1 will give you the same medical insurance to state medical care and prescriptions as a Greek can get. Private medical practice will charge for attendance or say such as blood work but prescriptions are normally issued the same as a state establishment would.
Whole heartedly agree with nortarda, keep stum and under the radar

 

[Graham376]

Whole heartedly agree with nortarda, keep stum and under the radar

Completely agree with that statement. UK think we live here, Portugal think we live there so, in both health systems but not entitled to any social benefits in Portugal (don't claim any in UK anyway) unless we lodge S1 which is an admission of having left UK where we pay taxes, have home etc.