A drain on the NHS

Not happened to me but I know it's in legislation

My dil from USA was ill for a couple of days with extremely rampant high temperature, vomiting etc. I was giving her paracaetamol and cold cloths but she is very anti any medication. My other dil who is a nurse checked her and said that USA dil really needed a doctor's opinion.

I phoned the local health centre and GP phoned back, discussed symptoms and temperature and said he'd leave a script. He said not to worry about payment even though dil had travel insurance. I'm sure he'd have been entitled to charge for the 'private' telephone appointment, and also would have thought that payment would have been expected for the prescription.

I thought this article was interesting. Apparently treating UK visitors to the EU (mainly France and Spain) cost five times as much as EU visitors to the UK. That doesn't get so much publicity does it?

www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/07/treating-uk-tourists-in-europe-costs-five-times-more-than-equivalent-cost-to-nhs

About 30 years ago, my in-laws, who were visiting us from elsewhere in England, were involved in a car crash in town, the car was a write off, but thankfully they were OK, but they received a bill for their treatment from our local hospital. It surprised me, I thought that as UK citizens they`d be entitled to free treatment?

Traffic accidents are not covered by NHS, they need to recover costs from motor insurance.

It seems odd if traffic accidents aren't covered. Is it just that they can charge and the patient will get it from the insurance company? Why not other kinds of accident? Accidents at work, school or university, in shops and so on? People are always suing because they've been injured somewhere. Maybe the NHS could expand the policy?

My understanding is that it is only the ambulance that is charged for, not any subsequent treatment

Number please, this is surprising. I thought NHS covered all treatments, including car accidents, what if drivers are not insured?Many these days are not!

Not just the ambulance, the whole cost of treatment is recovered from insurance. If you don't have insurance you are liable for the costs incurred and if you injure someone and are not insured you go to jail. It is a crime to drive without insurance.

It may be a crime, but the number of convictions is pitifully low. Those who are convicted usually get a desultory fine.

Ana - yet again, I could not agree with you more. Driving without a license/insurance/whilst banned seems to be treated as on a par with ringing a doorbell and running away. I've never understood the leniency with which it is dealt

I was in the Hospital in Amsterdam and they came to my room for payment. Not sure what would happen if Id said no I can't pay.