NHS fees - right or wrong?

[NotAllThere]

Should have handed back the babies body, it would be the decent thing to do.

They then should have gone after them for the fees after a few weeks.

Especially since debts can be enforced across the EU.

[meridian]

EXACTLY. Try this in the USA - she wouldn't have got through the front door without a credit card or means to pay the bill.

EXACTLY. Always remember the story of the young lady who broke her back in Egypt. She was giving horse riding lessons apparently.

Two irrelevant stories about non-EU countries.

[meridian]

and all the ex-pats living in Spain who come back to the UK for treatment to be told they no longer qualify for free treatment

They don’t, they should have an EHIC from Spain for travelling, and be charged for Private if they’ve booked treatment that they’re flying back for.

Should have handed back the babies body, it would be the decent thing to do.

They then should have gone after them for the fees after a few weeks.

For U.K. travellers in the EU, the NHS appears to do a Provisional replacement certificate (PRC) service, where if you are in a hospital on the continent and don’t have your EHIC card with you, you can call back to the U.K. and they will fax your entitlement to the other hospital.

Wonder why the couple (or the NHS themselves) didn’t just do this?

Okay, the couple were probably traumatised at the loss of their baby. So why didn’t the NHS just help them out?

[NotAllThere]

They don’t, they should have an EHIC from Spain for travelling, and be charged for Private if they’ve booked treatment that they’r
Okay, the couple were probably traumatised at the loss of their baby. So why didn’t the NHS just help them out?

It was carried out by an bureaucrat/manager. No sense of humanity or decency.

If you are entitled to help but fail to fill in paperwork, the bureaucrats can do it retrospectively. But they don't have to.

[Mordac]

I do know of case here where a tourist fell ill without their EHIC. They were able to claim retrospectively - but the authorities are not obliged to allow that.

In any case - if you travel outside your own country, even in Europe with an EHIC, make sure you've got proper travel insurance to cover any accident or sickness that, crucially, covers you to the same standard as at home. The EHIC is effectively a safety net, but it will only give you the same cover as locals. It won't get you home, repatriate your body etc.

Still, pretty callous of the hospital.

All this, and all day long. Take insurance, and not the cheapest insurance.

[original PM]

Should have handed back the babies body, it would be the decent thing to do.

They then should have gone after them for the fees after a few weeks.

Umm unless they had a fridge to put that body in within a few days it would have looked like melted cheese and stunk to high heaven.

trust me I know.

[woohoo]

Umm unless they had a fridge to put that body in within a few days it would have looked like melted cheese and stunk to high heaven.

trust me I know.

Actually, that is a good point. They can't afford to pay the bill and I'm guessing perhaps they could not afford to pay for travel insurance. How would they get the body back.

Now I'm thinking of dead bodies. Ok I need to find a more cheery thread to read.

[Zigenare]

Actually, that is a good point. They can't afford to pay the bill and I'm guessing perhaps they could not afford to pay for travel insurance. How would they get the body back.

Now I'm thinking of dead bodies. Ok I need to find a more cheery thread to read.

Try Mumsnet!

[woohoo]

Try Mumsnet!

Well, thanks to a couple of people on here, Mumsnet is no longer a safe place for CUK members.

The things they say about us, one even dared to say our forum is boring.

[northernladuk]

Well, thanks to a couple of people on here, Mumsnet is no longer a safe place for CUK members.

The things they say about us, one even dared to say our forum is boring.

When what they should have said is that 4132 of the posts are boring