Brits and home country doctor registration?

You should be registered with your old doctor because they don't take people off their lists as they get paid per patient so there's no reason for them to remove you.
Check in with your last GP using your NI number and see what happens.

EDIT - I was quite surprised to find I'm still on my old surgery's list even though I haven't seen the quack for over 15 years, but I'm definitely still on there.
Not that I ever plan to return to the UK but I liked my quack so I see no reason to take cash away from him.

UK citizens living abroad are no longer automatically entitled to medical treatment under normal NHS rules.

You may still be registered with a GP, and he/she may not know you've moved abroad, so perhaps if you walk in, they won't realise and will treat you.

I wouldn't rely on this for a serious issue.

Thank you both Fred and Cynic. I don't even remember who I was registered with. I will check it out using my NI number. I presume we can use A&E if anything happens to us when we are visiting the UK (as a tourist)

Probably it will be a better idea to make medical insurance in Bulgaria and request to be referred to a private clinic with English speaking medical staff.

Thank you for that advice

Hi bookwormslc,

i'm still in UK and in the process of buying in Varna country.  I am registered with a GP here in Cornwall.  The NHS is under tremendous stress and at breaking point.  Getting to see a GP is very difficult here.  You have to telephone between 8am and 8:30am for a same day appointment once you are registered. You will need a UK address to register. You cannot book an appointment in advance to see a GP or try get an appointment... for lets say... next week.  You have to ring on the day and are not garenteed to be seen, so if you are not successful you will have to try again on the following day.

When you telephone them... you undergo triage by the telephone receptionist i.e. non clinical staff.  They will then decide if you are ill enough to see a Doctor.  In a lot of situations, (and if you do not  convince the receptionist to give you an appointment) you may get a telephone consult with a Doctor. Only very sick people in high risk groups get to see and be treated by a doctor.  If you feel you are acutely unwell they will tell you to attend A&E rather than wait for an appointment.  Prescriptions are now £8.60 per item.

Local GP surgeries are under staffed and cannot recruit or retain doctors.  The NHS  is at near breaking point.

I have been on a waiting list to see a dentist for 4 years also... but there are no spaces available here for NHS patents.  When i fly out to BG in May, the first thing i will do is see a dentist as i cannot afford private treatment here in UK.  After that i intend to pay to see a doctor to get a full check up before i return to the UK. I am currently learning the Bulgarian words for my symptoms.

I recommend you learn Bulgarian as your life may depend on it one day.  The reality is... the NHS will not be here for many of us as we get older.  Anyhow, that's my plan.  Good luck and I hope that helps you understand the situation.

Paula

Hi Paula,

  I am aware that all those points are absolutely true. For the last 30 years I haven't seen a doctor. As I live abroad anyway  I am always trying to cover every possibility. I am learning Bulgarian too. I would never dream of going to live in another country without learning the language and the culture, people make a country so communication is essential. I appreciate your reply. When do you plan to move there?
   Regards,
     Frances

Hi Francis,
We (hubby and i) still have very elderly and frail parents.  They are quite vulnerable.  That is the only thing stopping us flying out this weekend.
They will not go on forever but, until they do go, we are rather stuck here.

Fortunately, they have rather good pensions (unlike us).  I work on-line so can work anywhere.  Although i struggle here in UK, we could be quite comfortable on my income in BG due to the lower tax burden and with my hubbies farming skills.

We used to farm pigs.  Small scale farming is almost impossible here in UK now due to the increasing legislation. You need very large farms with economy of scale. Gone are the days you could just kill a pig for your own consumption.  You need a Vet present now when you slaughter.  The cost of calling out a Vet is more than the pig is worth (unless you are killing several hundred). 

We could use a slaughter house but you can't take the meat away unless you have a refrigerated vehicle, the cost of which makes it unfeasible for subsistence farming. Moreover, we are less than 15min from the slaughter house so the meat would not be out of temp for long. In fact, the supermarket we are forced to buy our pork from is a greater distance than the slaughter house and we can bring our bacon home from there on the bus without fear of prosecution. Lol... crazy

The UK is just becoming too expensive to remain unless you join the rat race and do a 9 to 5.  Even then people find it difficult.

Regards

Paula

Hi Paula,
  I can understand your need to stay in the UK at the moment.

   How strange, my dad was a pig farmer too. I have not had the experience to live through all the changes that have happened in the UK as I have been out of the UK since 1987 but I know about it all of course and how our pensions are affected.  It's dismal to think I have paid all those NI stamps voluntarily and I won't be able to reap the benefits in illness or retirement. Luckily I have myself a private retirement fund here in Turkey which should cover me. By the way I believe that some people come to Turkey from Bulgaria for medical and dental treatment. My turksh is fluent if you everdecide to come to Istanbul and  need any help. It is worth considering.  Regards
                                       Frances

Yes, we are quite angry also.  We have both paid for many years and still it is difficult to see a doctor.  We had the Army helping our local surgery over the last few days because Doctors were unable to get to work because of snow.

We are also not happy we have been legislated out of our livelihood.  I hope BG manages to maintain its small farming culture and does not bow down to large agricultural corporations.

It is good to know Turkey maybe an option.  Thank you for your kind offer.  We will be in BG at the end of April for 4 weeks.  I'm looking forward to leaving UK for a while.

From what i understand, the standard of health care in BG is very good but the Hospitals are not always well equipped.  I used to work as a Nurse.  The Nursing staff i have met in the NHS from BG are very good and very well trained. They could all take blood pressure with very basic equipment. (i.e.  stethoscope and sphygmomanometer) which is a skill in it's own right.  Many newly NHS trained Nurses are unable to do this and can only use modern automated blood pressure measuring equipment which any fool could train to use in less than 10min.

I feel confident that i would be in safe hands in BG as where others may feel more confident when they see flashy new electronic equipment in a nicely decorated environment. For me, it is the competence of the staff that is most important. It does not bother me that they still use glass thermometers and reuse equipment once sterilised rather than use plastic disposable equipment that destroys our environment. I think that we have much to learn from a country that achieves comparable life expectancy statistics with less funding and less modern equipment.


I think that there are many people in the UK that realise that the changes that have happened over the last 30 years have not always been for the better.

Warm wishes Frances, you may want to continue to use the Turkish health system while you are in BG, like you say, Turkey is a very short distance to travel.

Paula

Hi Paula,

   Good to hear from you.

   You being a nurse puts you in a better position to access how things are done, I will probably use the BG medical services in emergencies too as the Turkish system is now pressing folk to have expensive insurances to get any treatment at all. I am lucky to never have had to see a doctor except for broken metatarsals in A&E and a couple of x-rays, MR and physio after a motorbike accident. I hope I can keep up the good health so I don't need one though.

   I, also, have a preference for quality training rather than high tech equipment. The same goes for my choice of foods too, i.e. as little as possible from packaging. Homemade cheese, yogurt, kefir, jams etc.. Bulgaria can supply that I think as long as you can locate the farms directly for fruits, vegetables and milk.

   I have a courtcase in motion so I will need to go to Turkey for that whenever the dates are. I won't be making a clean break immediately. My offer stands, if you ever want to pop over to see what your options are I will go with you.

     I should be there in April. Do you know which area you will be visiting? It would be nice to meet you.

     Take care till then.
          Frances

I spend about 10 months of the year here In Bulgaria in two 5 month slices and the other 2 months in the UK, I am registered with my Doctor in the UK but use a postal address for my registered address for the Doctor. Because I  only stay a couple of months I have a sited Caravan that I use. My Dentist also has no problem with me using a postal address. I have been living like this for the last 8 years.