Irish Person moving back from the UK

galait

A relative who has lived in the UK for 25 years was seriously injured in an accident 6 months ago ,
He is still in hospital and has no family in the UK , He wishes to return home to Ireland to his family and continue his recovery , He has 1 operation left and the Hospital he currently is in want him out and have asked social services to put him in a B&B until his final op in early November.
When he gets home to ireland I presume he will not be entitled to any sick pay , He will also fail a means test due to bank balance ,
Can he register for Medical Card etc and how does he move from NHS UK to HSE in Ireland ?

Cushie Butterfield

YOu don't say whether or not the plan is for him to move here permanently, or just on a temporary basis to be with family to recuperate as much as possible & then return to the UK.

The first thing you should do is check whether or not he is entitled to a UK disability payment that can be paid outside the UK that's based on his National Insurance contributions as compared to a means tested payment https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/disability A person in receipt of an Irish Invalidity Pension, which isn't means tested can continue to receive it indefinitely if they move to the UK, & Illness Benefit can be paid during a temporary visit to UK for a maximum of 26 weeks, so it's definitely worth checking his UK entitlements. Generally, it's always best to start from where you presently are rather than planning to claim from where you are going to be, especially if the majority of your social insurance contributions were paid where you are.

There is no automatic entitlement to an Irish Medical Card. Those days are gone. You don't say what age he is either, but if he is was a pensioner (in receipt of a UK pension) he would be automatically entitled to one under EU Regulations. Further information on that entitlement can be obtained from HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service, Tel: 01 864 7100 or 1890 252919, but I get the impression from your post that he isn't of pension age.

Usually, if a UK resident is temporarily visiting Ireland & requires the services of a GP or public hospital services that are not planned in advance (i.e. suddenly falling ill/involved in a road traffic accident) they can be treated by producing their NHS Medical Card or UK issued European Health Insurance Card, which would give him the same entitlements (temporarily) as an Irish Medical Card holder. The UK and Irish authorities have an agreement where UK residents do not need their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to access healthcare services if they are on a temporary stay in Ireland. It is enough to show proof that you are ordinarily resident in the UK, such as a driving licence, passport or similar documentation that shows your NHS number or its equivalent.

Prescription medicines must be obtained from a GP contracted to the PCRS scheme, who will use a special prescription form to indicate to the pharmacist that the medicine is to be provided free of charge. A prescription charge must be paid for each item of medicine. The current charge is €2.50 per item up to a maximum of €25.00 per month per family.

In an emergency, he can go directly to the A&E dept of any public hospital. There is no charge for those eligible under EU regulations.

For scheduled inpatient or outpatient treatment in the public system, he'd need to be referred by a GP or specialist consultant contracted to the PCRS scheme. He has to make it clear that he wants to be referred as a public patient.

Inpatient and outpatient treatment in the public system is provided free of charge to those who are eligible under EU regulations. Treatment or accommodation as a private or semi-private patient is not covered by these regulations.

If he has a private medical insurace policy you would need to check with his insurer to see if any private hospital care would be covered under his policy outside of the UK.

If the plan is for him to move here on a permanent basis he would no longer be entitled to a NHS Medical Card & is meant to inform the NHS & surrender his card. Records of it's use in Ireland would be forwarded to them. There is a system in place where a UK resident in the NHS system can arrange treatment & care in another EU country prior to them going there, so you may want to explore that avenue.

If he were to maintain his UK address, there is a possibility that he could arrange treatment/care with the NHS in advance by using the EU directive Route: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/plannedtreatment/Pages/Article56.aspx or the S2 Route: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/plannedtreatment/Pages/TheE112.aspx These may not be applicable in his case, but it's worthwhile reseaching the possibility.

Being an Irish citizen using his relatives address he would also be entitled to avail of the public health service system. The statutory charge for overnight and day in-patient services is €75 per day up to a maximum of €750 in any 12 consecutive months. He would have to pay a GP (50 to €60 per visit) like everyone else without a Medical Card or GP Visit Card.

I don't know whether or not returning to work will eventually be an option but if he was going to move here permanently, & is entitlted to a UK contribution based disability payment he could in the future explore the possibility of an Irish Pro Rata Invalidity Pension, which could possibly combine his historical Irish PRSI with his NI contributions giving him a partial pension from DSP here in addition to his UK payment.

You mentioned that he has savings. Depending on how much he may also be entitled to claim a means tested Disability Allowance which reduces on a sliding scale depending on the actual income/capital amount.The first €50,000 of any capital you have is not taken into account & maximum payment reduces by €1 & €2 per €1,000 so don't rule that out completely either. See here: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/means_test_for_social_welfare_payments/how_to_assess_your_means_from_capital_for_social_welfare_payments.html

For info about health services in Ireland, entitlements and how to access health or social services, contact the HSE infoline on 1850 24 1850 or +353 41 685 0300 , visit www.hse.ie, or email infoline1@hse.ie

galait

Cushie Butterfield wrote: »

YOu don't say whether or not the plan is for him to move here permanently, or just on a temporary basis to be with family to recuperate as much as possible & then return to the UK.

The first thing you should do is check whether or not he is entitled to a UK disability payment that can be paid outside the UK that's based on his National Insurance contributions as compared to a means tested payment https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/disability A person in receipt of an Irish Invalidity Pension, which isn't means tested can continue to receive it indefinitely if they move to the UK, & Illness Benefit can be paid during a temporary visit to UK for a maximum of 26 weeks, so it's definitely worth checking his UK entitlements. Generally, it's always best to start from where you presently are rather than planning to claim from where you are going to be, especially if the majority of your social insurance contributions were paid where you are.

There is no automatic entitlement to an Irish Medical Card. Those days are gone. You don't say what age he is either, but if he is was a pensioner (in receipt of a UK pension) he would be automatically entitled to one under EU Regulations. Further information on that entitlement can be obtained from HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service, Tel: 01 864 7100 or 1890 252919, but I get the impression from your post that he isn't of pension age.

Usually, if a UK resident is temporarily visiting Ireland & requires the services of a GP or public hospital services that are not planned in advance (i.e. suddenly falling ill/involved in a road traffic accident) they can be treated by producing their NHS Medical Card or UK issued European Health Insurance Card, which would give him the same entitlements (temporarily) as an Irish Medical Card holder. The UK and Irish authorities have an agreement where UK residents do not need their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to access healthcare services if they are on a temporary stay in Ireland. It is enough to show proof that you are ordinarily resident in the UK, such as a driving licence, passport or similar documentation that shows your NHS number or its equivalent.

Prescription medicines must be obtained from a GP contracted to the PCRS scheme, who will use a special prescription form to indicate to the pharmacist that the medicine is to be provided free of charge. A prescription charge must be paid for each item of medicine. The current charge is €2.50 per item up to a maximum of €25.00 per month per family.

In an emergency, he can go directly to the A&E dept of any public hospital. There is no charge for those eligible under EU regulations.

For scheduled inpatient or outpatient treatment in the public system, he'd need to be referred by a GP or specialist consultant contracted to the PCRS scheme. He has to make it clear that he wants to be referred as a public patient.

Inpatient and outpatient treatment in the public system is provided free of charge to those who are eligible under EU regulations. Treatment or accommodation as a private or semi-private patient is not covered by these regulations.

If he has a private medical insurace policy you would need to check with his insurer to see if any private hospital care would be covered under his policy outside of the UK.

If the plan is for him to move here on a permanent basis he would no longer be entitled to a NHS Medical Card & is meant to inform the NHS & surrender his card. Records of it's use in Ireland would be forwarded to them. There is a system in place where a UK resident in the NHS system can arrange treatment & care in another EU country prior to them going there, so you may want to explore that avenue.

If he were to maintain his UK address, there is a possibility that he could arrange treatment/care with the NHS in advance by using the EU directive Route: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/plannedtreatment/Pages/Article56.aspx or the S2 Route: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/plannedtreatment/Pages/TheE112.aspx These may not be applicable in his case, but it's worthwhile reseaching the possibility.

Being an Irish citizen using his relatives address he would also be entitled to avail of the public health service system. The statutory charge for overnight and day in-patient services is €75 per day up to a maximum of €750 in any 12 consecutive months. He would have to pay a GP (50 to €60 per visit) like everyone else without a Medical Card or GP Visit Card.

I don't know whether or not returning to work will eventually be an option but if he was going to move here permanently, & is entitlted to a UK contribution based disability payment he could in the future explore the possibility of an Irish Pro Rata Invalidity Pension, which could possibly combine his historical Irish PRSI with his NI contributions giving him a partial pension from DSP here in addition to his UK payment.

You mentioned that he has savings. Depending on how much he may also be entitled to claim a means tested Disability Allowance which reduces on a sliding scale depending on the actual income/capital amount.The first €50,000 of any capital you have is not taken into account & maximum payment reduces by €1 & €2 per €1,000 so don't rule that out completely either. See here: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/means_test_for_social_welfare_payments/how_to_assess_your_means_from_capital_for_social_welfare_payments.html

For info about health services in Ireland, entitlements and how to access health or social services, contact the HSE infoline on 1850 24 1850 or +353 41 685 0300 , visit www.hse.ie, or email infoline1@hse.ie

Great info there, He intends to move home permanently as he is unlikely ever to work in the same Industry again due to his injuries. He is 47 , He is persuing a Personal injury case and the driver is in court next and will be prosecuted for careless driving.

Regarding the HSE I have phoned before and the staff I spoke to on the helpline were either very inexperienced or clueless. I just want to know how to get him into the HSE system.

For example as the Hospital want to discharge him until his next operation in November and that he is essentially homeless (we gave up his flat as the rent was £850 and he was in a coma) he wishes to come home to Ireland for a month.

If he comes home How do we get his medication ? He is on several tablets and exceptionally strong pain killers. Will a UK script work here and will the NHS pay for it.

Where does one go for answers?

Thanks for any info

Cushie Butterfield

When being discharged from the UK hospital he will be either issued with a prescription for his required medication & probably supplied with enough medication to tide him over for a given amount of time with his discharge documents. A report should also be sent to his UK GP in which all that info would be listed. Basically he would be discharged to the care of his UK GP. Ideally, when the time comes for him to move over he will arrive with details of this medication and/or a UK issued prescription. You should arrange with his UK GP or UK Hospital Consultant to give him a letter briefly outlining his current injuries & a brief medical history as well as a list of prescribed medication. With your relative's consent his new Irish GP can take over his care from there which would involve him/her requesting his full medical details from his UK counterpart and/or his UK Hospital Consultant. You may want to contact the social work dept of the UK hospital who could possibly help. You may want to speak to the new Irish GP (I'm assuming it will be a GP already treating his relatives here) now also, who could possibly give you better advice than you'd get here as regards anything that can be done to streamline the procedure.

Don't get too bogged down about him being in the HSE system. I assume he has a PPS number so basically as soon as he arrives here he will be in the HSE system. You should be able to contact either his UK GP or the social work dept in the UK hospital now or before he is discharged after his next operation with the view to streamlining the process. With regard to who'll pay for the medication - the most any resident has to pay here for approved drugs is €144 per month once they have a Drugs Payment Scheme Card if they don't have a Medical Card or GP Visit Card. See here: http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/drugspaymentscheme/ Any payment as a result of a personal injusry case would more than likely take future medication expenses into account.

Incidentally, & probably not relevant (as you say after his next operation he will be totally discharged) but RTA patients are treated differently in hospitals here as regards charges, even for public patients mainly due to the amount of extra medical reports required by a patient's solicitor. The extra charges are normally due to be paid pending the results of legal action & compensation/insurance claim. Seeing as that's all being handled in the UK it's probably best for him to remain under the care of NHS until all present medical procedures are carried out. His solicitor should be able to ascertain whether or not future procedures might be necessary. All I'm saying is that it's important from the financial side of things that you're aware that if there's any sort of compensation or insurance payment involved & if future treatment was included in it that the treatment costs are meant to be paid out of the compensation or insurance payment, so you should also bear that in mind.

Seeing as he's planning to come here on a permanent basis I'd recommend that you contact the Safe Home Programme http://www.safehomeireland.com/ which is a registered charity originally set up for returning older Irish emigrants to assist in social housing needs, but has expanded & now provide an information and advisory service for anyone considering the move to Ireland and support for those who have moved back and require assistance. They are recognised by DSP & can provide proof to DSP that the person returning has dealt with them which can assist in satisfying the Habitual Residence Condition for social welfare purposes. I'd be very surprised if your relative won't be entitled to claim some sort of UK paid disability payment based on his NI contributions. Safe Home may have their own personal contacts within the DWP/NHS as well as HSE/DSP who might be more knowlegeable than any first line customer services agents within the organisations.

galait

Thanks Again , Rang Safe Home and they are great , I now have a clear roadmap for him and will progress along the lines of

1. Leave him in London until final op completed. Get Medical records to Local GP Here

2. Bring him home , Get him a Bank Account , Apply for Disability Benefit/ Medical Card. Use Drug Refund scheme until hopefully Medical Comes up for him.

3. See what happens from there...

Cushie Butterfield

Great, I hope everything works out well for him.