NHS - Free treatment?

[nosscire81]

Hi all

I am British and my father has come to the UK to join me permanently. He is a Portuguese (EU) national who has been living in Panama all his life and he's been here only a week or so. He's suddenly been experiencing chest pains and I was wondering if he has access to the NHS? Also, since he has no hospital records in Portugal, he can't have a EUHIC either.

If the hospital were to ask if he was entitled to free care, how would he know what to answer? Am I wrong in assuming that EU nationals get access to the NHS in the same way we do?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers

[Lucapooka]

He is entitled to emergency treatment in the A&E. Whether he is entitled to the full scope of non-emergency NHS treatment can be left so someone else to answer. The hospital should, in theory, ask for the necessary checks when he is admitted. As an EU national, he must exercise an EU treaty right in order to remain in the UK longer than 3 months. If he is retired and does not intend to work, he will be self-sufficient and will therefore be required to have comprehensive sickness insurance. This can become expensive as the age of the policy holder increases.