T- 1 Visa Holders cannot use full NHS facilities ?

I want to share my experience of using the N.H.S services. Last night i had an emergency and visited the A & E ward of NHS hospital, at the reception the medical staff asked me few questions and one of the question was since when you are living in UK ? i replied for around 10 months. So he told me that if i am admitted in hospital then i have to bear the expenses as any one who has not lived in UK for 12 months cannot use the N.H.S facilities except the emergency services. I tried to explain him that Tier 1 Visa is a residence visa etc etc but he said that even a British citizen who has not lived in UK for 12 months can't use the NHS services. I was in pain so decided to use emergency services and luckily for me i was discharged from A & E ward with in 4 hours.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Hope you get healthy soon.

You said you were discharged from A&E ward within 4 hours, is that after you chose emergency service in that ward?

So, who will decide if your case needs emergency service or not? If what they said is true and someone in a similar situation goes to NHS hospital with, let's say a throat infection associated with fever which really is not an emergency, and choose emergency service would that be alright? Will they allow it? Does the patient has to pay for this too?

NHS website ( http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSse ... vices.aspx ) says in the list of eligible people:
"Anyone who is working in the UK for a UK-based employer or who is self-employed in the UK. This does not include people looking for work"

So how about those who are self-employed under the tier 1 visa?

No, for normal health issues you go to your GP and he/she will give you prescription. I got registered with the GP near my house and got the NHS number too in couple of week so its completely free but you pay for the prescription.

Any one with emergency condition can walk in to the A & E and they will do the assessment, if required they will admit in A&E ward. In my case they did some test and after the tests were satisfactory they gave me some medicines and discharged me with a referral to clinic. In case there was some serious issue they would have admitted me to a specialist hospital ward and then i would have been charged that's what they told me.

attahaas wrote:Thanks for sharing your experience. Hope you get healthy soon.

You said you were discharged from A&E ward within 4 hours, is that after you chose emergency service in that ward?

So, who will decide if your case needs emergency service or not? If what they said is true and someone in a similar situation goes to NHS hospital with, let's say a throat infection associated with fever which really is not an emergency, and choose emergency service would that be alright? Will they allow it? Does the patient has to pay for this too?

Its nothing to do with your employment , its about how long you have been living in UK.

pkcd12 wrote:NHS website ( http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSse ... vices.aspx ) says in the list of eligible people:
"Anyone who is working in the UK for a UK-based employer or who is self-employed in the UK. This does not include people looking for work"

So how about those who are self-employed under the tier 1 visa?

Department of health has issued guidance in October 2012 according to which secondary care(Hospitals) have to assess the client.If someone is resident for last 12 months and have nt been out of the country(with some exceptions like due to job as pilots) for more than 6 months ,there is no need to pay charges for secondary care(all sorts of care) and also there are concessions under some regulations so according to regulation 8(a)-c Self employed(as Entrepreneurs) should provide essentially Tax Reference number from HMRC plus as many as possible documents including Business insurance,contract,business accounts, invoices etc. and thier dependents are also allowed straight away without 12 month period.

This new guidance is for every one and has been issued recently to use full NHS services anyone's "Center of interest" should be UK

Thanks for sharing. So can a Director of limited company doing business in UK claim that his center of interest is in UK and use the secondary care?

ishfaqsangra wrote:Department of health has issued guidance in October 2012 according to which secondary care(Hospitals) have to assess the client.If someone is resident for last 12 months and have nt been out of the country(with some exceptions like due to job as pilots) for more than 6 months ,there is no need to pay charges for secondary care(all sorts of care) and also there are concessions under some regulations so according to regulation 8(a)-c Self employed(as Entrepreneurs) should provide essentially Tax Reference number from HMRC plus as many as possible documents including Business insurance,contract,business accounts, invoices etc. and thier dependents are also allowed straight away without 12 month period.

This new guidance is for every one and has been issued recently to use full NHS services anyone's "Center of interest" should be UK

Its not explaining about center of interest.
Every Hospital has an appointed person who takes interview and gathers information.
If you have not been outside country for more than 6 months and Can provide the documents as I mentioned in earlier post you would be fine.
Tomorrow I am going to Hospital for my wife appointment and have copies of those documents with me.its not fot Tier 1 Enterprenuer every business man

Thanks for sharing your experience.

I disagree with the NHS staff member and he might not know the rules. All the tier 1, 2, 4, 5 and other categories of visa are eligible for the all the state benefits including state pension.

The only visitor visa do not have access to any of these benefits.

I hope this may help.

thanks for the info...by the way, can anyone enlighten me on prescription costs in the UK? For primary care, do we get free medications or we have to pay a part or all of it?

hham1224 wrote:Thanks for sharing your experience.

I disagree with the NHS staff member and he might not know the rules. All the tier 1, 2, 4, 5 and other categories of visa are eligible for the all the state benefits including state pension.

The only visitor visa do not have access to any of these benefits.

I hope this may help.

What do you mean by state benefits? Are you trying to say that everyone can claim benefits????

pkcd12 wrote:thanks for the info...by the way, can anyone enlighten me on prescription costs in the UK? For primary care, do we get free medications or we have to pay a part or all of it?

You have to pay the prescription cost which is I think £7.80. But in some cases you don't need to pay like if you have a serious disease.
Thanks

You misunderstood me. Visa holders and people with limited leave to remain cannot reclaim benefits [housing benefits, job seeker, income support etc.] limited Visa holders are entitled to all benefits including state pension [subject to the NICs paid] BUT not the above for reclaiming benefits].

I hope this clarifies.

Momi wrote:

hham1224 wrote:Thanks for sharing your experience.

I disagree with the NHS staff member and he might not know the rules. All the tier 1, 2, 4, 5 and other categories of visa are eligible for the all the state benefits including state pension.

The only visitor visa do not have access to any of these benefits.

I hope this may help.

What do you mean by state benefits? Are you trying to say that everyone can claim benefits????

thanks, momi and hham...

For all of you please note,being on Enterpreneur Visa and Working as Management Consultant for GP Practices I might post a link for DH guidance updated from October 2013 it is now legal requirement to have Ordinary residence to get NHS all benefits so if you go thorugh that many pages guidance you will get better idea.

Just for Entrepreneurs if they are here for more than a year no need to show any thing at all ( but for those who are less than a year) have to show that above said documents i my post. so this is a new guidance so please be updated and my wife just joined me and before appointment they sent a letter for her to prove residence for last 12 months otherwise bring in copies of visa.copy this link

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... oct13a.pdf