capel679
New member
becoming a live abourd soon, wondered how you go about getting the doctor if needed and having no "official" address.
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oh doctor
- Thread starter capel679
- Start date
moodycruiser
New member
If you have moved from a house and you are going to live in a marina (which is what we did) then you shouldn't have too much of a problem as you can change your existing bank accounts and credit cards to your name/boats name/ marina address and from there on it's a doddle. just go to a doctors surgery and sign on with the above address and if you do have bank accounts registered in your new address it will help getting any new cards, mobile phones etc that you might want - don't forget car insurance, registration etc - all legal docs which can help with other things.
Oh.... and welcome to the life /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
<hr width=100% size=1>Tony
Oh.... and welcome to the life /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
<hr width=100% size=1>Tony
mike_bryon
New member
We registered our children and ourselves at the local surgery giving our boat address without any problem
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Sea Devil
Well-known member
It depends where you are going to live aboard. If it's a UK marina or port then for everything you just use the marina address - doctors - tax - all official documents etc. No problem - your name with boat name and marina address works fine.
If you become a cruiser liveaboard you have to make a couple of decisions - If you keep a property in the UK or not you need to have all your mail sent to someone who once in a while - monthly/3 monthly? will post them to you where ever you may be...
Nomally you will use this address as a c/o address. The income tax authorities are well aware that people travel long term in boats and will accept this situation and use the c/o address.
If you are gone for long - for ever (how ever long that is?) then you can consider becoming a non resident which means you can only spend 90 days a year in the UK. In exchange for this you get certain tax benefits and do not pay tax on monies earned out of the UK or on interest in banks, building societies overseas accounts.. You need to counsult an accountant if you decide to go for this - You can fly - sail into the UK and just say you are resident again and the National Health system clocks in for you....
Hope this is helpful
<hr width=100% size=1>If you have time please visit my web site -
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing>http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing</A>
If you become a cruiser liveaboard you have to make a couple of decisions - If you keep a property in the UK or not you need to have all your mail sent to someone who once in a while - monthly/3 monthly? will post them to you where ever you may be...
Nomally you will use this address as a c/o address. The income tax authorities are well aware that people travel long term in boats and will accept this situation and use the c/o address.
If you are gone for long - for ever (how ever long that is?) then you can consider becoming a non resident which means you can only spend 90 days a year in the UK. In exchange for this you get certain tax benefits and do not pay tax on monies earned out of the UK or on interest in banks, building societies overseas accounts.. You need to counsult an accountant if you decide to go for this - You can fly - sail into the UK and just say you are resident again and the National Health system clocks in for you....
Hope this is helpful
<hr width=100% size=1>If you have time please visit my web site -
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing>http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing</A>
traceyandsteve
New member
thats ok but what happens if you are on repeat medication or have an ongoing illness.
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AndrewB
Well-known member
Tell your GP what you are doing and ask him/her to prescribe as much as possible. Many are sympathetic. My partner carried two years' supply of one drug.
Unless you use an unusual and really expensive drug, do not worry about being able to obtain fresh supplies elsewhere. You are bound to visit places where they can be fairly easily obtained. Provided its obvious you have an existing prescibed medicine, in many places you'll get a check-up, the repeat prescription plus the drug itself for a quite reasonable charge, maybe even below NHS prescription charge.
If carrying large quantities of drugs aboard, it is advisable to keep a copy of the prescriptions otherwise it will raise the suspicions of customs officers. Narcotics are not the only concern: in many third-world countries there is a black market in many kinds of drugs.
There is of course an issue with health insurance if you have a long-term medical condition.
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Unless you use an unusual and really expensive drug, do not worry about being able to obtain fresh supplies elsewhere. You are bound to visit places where they can be fairly easily obtained. Provided its obvious you have an existing prescibed medicine, in many places you'll get a check-up, the repeat prescription plus the drug itself for a quite reasonable charge, maybe even below NHS prescription charge.
If carrying large quantities of drugs aboard, it is advisable to keep a copy of the prescriptions otherwise it will raise the suspicions of customs officers. Narcotics are not the only concern: in many third-world countries there is a black market in many kinds of drugs.
There is of course an issue with health insurance if you have a long-term medical condition.
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snowleopard
Active member
our doctor gave us repeat prescriptions for 6 months, said that was the most the nhs would wear.
we re-stocked over the counter in spain at a lot lower cost.
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we re-stocked over the counter in spain at a lot lower cost.
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Sea Devil
Well-known member
the UK and France are about the only countrie I know where you need an actual prescritption for medical drugs. Spain and most other countries that you will cruise to you need to know the generic name (and the local foreign pharmacy probably can tell you) of your drugs. basicly you walk into the pharmacy and ask for the drug you need and they will sell it to you.
<hr width=100% size=1>If you have time please visit my web site -
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing>http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing</A>
<hr width=100% size=1>If you have time please visit my web site -
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing>http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing</A>
snowleopard
Active member
portuguese territories also have prescription restrictions.
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Gunfleet
New member
They do but Portuguese pharmacists are authorised to 'prescribe' a lot more drugs than their UK equivalents.
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