This Makes Me A Little Bit Cross

[bednobs]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-59829656
I get that she's "british"
by why would the NHS fund her (probably extensive) care when her family (and other strangers) bring her back? |She doesn't have enough insurance to cover her needs, and presumably hasn't paid tax here since she moved abroad Any reason why the NHS should be expected to pay? (it will, but that's not the point)

[237SJ]

There are plenty of people who live in this country who don't pay tax and they get NHS treatment

[bednobs]

true.
however ; she doesnt live in this country and hasnt done for some time. if people want to be treated like or equivalent to the NHS they should either live in a country that has one or get adequate insurance IMO

[237SJ]

She's 47 and has lived there for 6 years. What do you think she was doing for the previous 41 years - living off the 'Social'?

[Spicerack]

Have you no compassion, bednobs?

[calmck]

She will have to go to a specialist rehab centre. The return of function will not be quick, if at all. To be cared for at home will require downstairs bed and bath. The need for some sort of 24 hour care is a possibility for quite a while. The family will need serious support if they want to have her at home. Specialist equipment for daily care is not cheap. It will be up to the NHS trust in her home town to assess needs and care. It will be expensive. If care on NHS is denied there will be people who agree and those that will not. I have lived abroard for many years but have quite expensive health insurance that provides treatment everywhere but the USA. I would not expect free treatment on the NHS

[ToraToraTora]

this just highlights the barbarity of most of the worlds medical systems.

[bednobs]

yes i do have compassion.
people who are paralysed are (usually) entitled to nhs continuing healthcare, which means the nhs will pay for all their care. Her family may well be trying to raise 20k to get her home, but the NHS may well spend that on her care in the first six months, and if she doesnt recover, for the rest of her life
I just really don't understand why people don't make provision for themselves if they are not going to e satisfied with the provision available where they choose to live

[ToraToraTora]

when deciding to emigrate surely one of the things you think about are healthcare. Clearly this woman is under insured I don't see why the NHS should pick up the slack.

[237SJ]

She's 47. She probably had a fair few years of paying UK taxes. She could have left school, never worked, had loads of kids that the State paid for and then needed expensive NHS care.

[bednobs]

and whenshe had had her fair few years of paying taxes, she would have been entitled to NHS care if she was living here. now she no longer lives here and (presumably) no longer pays UK taxes, but wants to avail herself of a service that is meant for people who are resident of a different country to where shes living.

[237SJ]

I`m presuming she is a British citizen so that's how it works, like it or not. If she was a British citizen who retired at 47 and lived in this country on a pension below the tax threshold, she would not be paying tax but would be entitled to NHS care

[THECORBYLOON]

"Within England, free NHS hospital treatment is provided on the basis of someone being ‘ordinarily resident’. Being ordinarily resident is not dependent upon nationality, payment of UK taxes, National Insurance contributions, being registered with a GP, having an NHS number or owning property in the UK.

Those who are not ordinarily resident in the UK, including former UK residents, are overseas visitors and may be charged for NHS service"

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-the-nhs-charges-overseas-visitors-for-nhs-hospital-care/how-the-nhs-charges-overseas-visitors-for-nhs-hospital-care

[Mamyalynne]

I hope they get her back here.

[gness]

Poor lass...and her family. I know folk will grudge her something that could help her condition and quality of life....I've been on AB long enough to learn that.....I just couldn't.
When we lived in Canada we arranged things so that we continued paying our NI and taxes. Maybe she's done that?
Still....even if she hasn't it'll be so much better for her to be close to family...now I know some of your families may not want that....but if her family does I'll be happy for their pleas to succeed.

[bednobs]

of course, it's easy for me to be blasé. If she was my sister, i'd sell my house to get her back.

[sunny-dave]

To continue on the theme of what 237SJ said at 19:22 - the worst drain on the UK taxpayer is not the occasional ex-pat who returns to their home country for NHS treatment, it's the huge number of families who (for generation after breeding generation) never contribute a brass farthing to the exchequer whilst knowing very exactly 'their rights'.

That's what makes me cross.

[237SJ]

People in this country moan about the NHS but we are lucky. Yes, medical care in other countries is good IF you have money. I remember staying with a friend in OZ who worked in ICU and she had a patient who had been in the unit for several weeks. She was worried what was going to happen to him as his insurance was only going to pay out for 2 more weeks. I never did find out what happened to him. Insurance runs out sooner or later

[Cloverjo]

I wouldn’t begrudge my tax money for her trip back to the UK.

I’m more annoyed by the 1/3 of million pounds we paid for a Tory MP to fill in potholes in his drive. But that’s another story.

[webbo3]

She may not be entitled to free treatment, NHS treatment is not contribution or nationality based it's residency based and I deal with this on a daily basis in my hospital.