Healthcare - For UK Citizens (Spanish Residents) back in the UK

The thing to bear in mind is that the NHS is a residency based service meaning that as Spanish residents you are no longer entitled to the same range of services as you would be if you still lived in UK. 

Not a perfect analogy but you might broadly equate your entitlements to those of a Spanish citizen visiting UK and accessing emergency or necessary treatment via their EHIC. 

If at some time in the future you decided that you preferred the NHS to the Spanish system then you would have to move back and formally re-establish UK residency.

Thanks. That was my expectation, but others argued alternative views last time this topic was aired.

In addition, I don't think we will have Spanish EHIC cards, as we're not part of the Spanish public healthcare system ?

Then, of course, there is the Brexit/EHIC issue.

Thanks. Those links confirm my assumptions.

Kelvin,

Firstly, can say I am sorry to hear of your wife's diagnosis and hope her treatment has a very successful outcome .

I am not certain of the exact rules and regulations concerning the provision of entitlement of Health Care Services in the UK for persons resident in another EU country. I too have read discussions on the issue and was of the opinion that NHS Walk in Centres and Hospital A&E are available at the point of use , however any further treatment  including admission for treatment or consultation is not . In addition I believe local G.P services can be available at the discretion of the particular Practice concerned .

LeckyLes.

All I can add to the good information given above is that I know people in the Spanish health system who have been given routine treatment by practices in the UK without questions being asked.

And for emergency treatment in the UK, this is covered by the EHIC-E card for those of us who are not in the Spanish social security system.

Thanks Jim. I hope you don't think I was being critical when I said that your guides don't address this question. Your guides are super-helpful and widely appreciated. I should have said, more accurately, that my question was outside of your scope.

Thanks Les.

Thanks Kelvin. I have a long list of guides I'd like to do, but must admit my priorities are either those which will be useful to most people, those that are easiest to do, or those that particularly interest me.

Health is such a complex topic that it's on the back burner, and the only one I've done is that related to paying into the Spanish health system, and that was only because it may work out cheaper than PHI for some people, or be better than those who have PHI which excludes existing conditions.

Worth noting that at the foot of the Planning Your Healthcare document it says:

Page last reviewed: 29/04/2015
Next review due: 29/04/2019

The second document Overseas Visitor Charging is dated today would you believe !

While we're on the subject, since the NHS IS a residency based service caveats by Spain (and other countries) that continued healthcare for UK immigrants will be dependent on UK reciprocating would appear to demonstrate a complete lack of understanding of how the NHS actually works !