Is NHS Treatment free for UK Citizen?

[martincymru]

Is NHS Treatment free for UK Citizen?

NHS Nurse/UK: Hello Mrs.Jones. Where do you live?
- Tibet
How long?
- past 4 months
When are you in Tibet next?
- next month. I will stay 5 months then come back UK.
You have cancer, not an emergency. Treatment to date is 200k pounds. You have to pay.
- But I have house in UK, GP registered, on electoral role, paid taxes and National Ins. I am 70 years old. I like to travel a lot.
Tough. You are non-resident, you told me you are presently living in Tibet, so here is the invoice. Pay.

//

Is this correct?

What if Mrs. Jones did not have house in UK, not on electoral role, not paid taxes and no National Ins contributions?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Is NHS for UK Citizens or UK Residents? I reckon it lies somewhere in there. A quick Google says UK Residents. So Citizens who are NOT resident in the UK would have to pay.

http://www.surreyandsussex.nhs.uk/wp-co ... tizens.pdf

Entitlement to Free NHS Hospital Treatment by Non-Resident
UK Citizens
This leaflet has been compiled to explain the entitlement requirements for free NHS hospital treatment
in the UK for Non-Resident UK Citizens.
• The NHS does not normally provide free hospital treatment for
people who do not reside in the UK even if they are UK nationals
• If you have lived outside the UK for more than 3 months
(6 months for some pensioners) in the last year you can be charged
• You will be exempt from charges if you can produce evidence that
you have been working abroad for less than 5 years and have lived
in the UK continuously for at least 10 years at some point
• If you are residing in another European Economic Area member
state you should show your European Health Insurance Card
from that country or apply for a Provisional Replacement
Certificate where possible
• If you have come to the UK from a non-EEA country that the UK
has no bilateral agreement with you will be expected to pay for
treatment unless another exemption applies to you

[martincymru]

So for all UK expats living/working overseas if you think you can go back to the UK and obtain free treatment you are mistaken (or so it seems).

[ecureilx]

Is NHS for UK Citizens or UK Residents? I reckon it lies somewhere in there. A quick Google says UK Residents. So Citizens who are NOT resident in the UK would have to pay.

Good old UK allows "residents" to vote ... just saying ...

In PC UK, residents will be given the benefit of doubt I guess.

Unless Miss May goes ahead with the reforms she's been pushing for.

[Barnsley]

Is NHS for UK Citizens or UK Residents? I reckon it lies somewhere in there. A quick Google says UK Residents. So Citizens who are NOT resident in the UK would have to pay.

http://www.surreyandsussex.nhs.uk/wp-co ... tizens.pdf

Entitlement to Free NHS Hospital Treatment by Non-Resident
UK Citizens
This leaflet has been compiled to explain the entitlement requirements for free NHS hospital treatment
in the UK for Non-Resident UK Citizens.
• The NHS does not normally provide free hospital treatment for
people who do not reside in the UK even if they are UK nationals
• If you have lived outside the UK for more than 3 months
(6 months for some pensioners) in the last year you can be charged
• You will be exempt from charges if you can produce evidence that
you have been working abroad for less than 5 years and have lived
in the UK continuously for at least 10 years at some point
• If you are residing in another European Economic Area member
state you should show your European Health Insurance Card
from that country or apply for a Provisional Replacement
Certificate where possible
• If you have come to the UK from a non-EEA country that the UK
has no bilateral agreement with you will be expected to pay for
treatment unless another exemption applies to you

That my understanding , residents only.

I always get ravel insurance when I go back for a holiday

[ScoobyDoes]

Is NHS for UK Citizens or UK Residents? I reckon it lies somewhere in there. A quick Google says UK Residents. So Citizens who are NOT resident in the UK would have to pay.

http://www.surreyandsussex.nhs.uk/wp-co ... tizens.pdf

To be fair......that document itself is seven years old regardless of upload date so it would definitely be worth getting some up to date information given a couple of regime changes in between.