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Moving to the UK

F

Freckles

Newbie
Messages
3
Hi everyone,
I'm new on this forum. I'm a 34 year old female who has been a Type 1 diabetic for 16 years, and have been on the insulin pump for about 5 years. The pump has helped me a lot! I'm hoping to move to the UK in a year or 2 (am originally from Poland but have lived in the US for the past 23 years, though I go back to Europe - especially the UK, which I love every year). I wanted to know how things work as far as medical insurance and type 1 diabetes in the UK. Is it easy to get the pump and are diabetic supplies covered in full? I know this depends on the type of insurance and I have yet to do research on that, so I'm sorry if I'm asking stupid questions but I figured asking diabetics in the UK would be a good place to start. Medical insurance is a luxury in the US, but I'm lucky to work for the city and have good benefits, which cover most of my diabetes expenses (I only pay a minimal co-pay for insulin and of course doctor visits, but all my pump and testing supplies are covered in full. Of course technically I pay for it since a big chunk of my check goes towards my medical coverage). I've heard that insurance companies in the UK don't cover the insulin pump as easily as they do here (of course I mean for those who have private insurance, work for the city or are unemployed... if you're middle-class, working and your employer doesn't offer medical insurance, or offers one that is inadequate you're out of luck here). Can anyone enlighten me on the matter? I'm currently on the medtronic mini med paradigm pump, and would love to stay on it when I move to the UK, as I cannot imagine my life without the pump anymore.
Thank you in advance for your responses!
 
Most T12 s in teh UK get thir diabetic medications through teh NHS...which is free at the point of need. well, that is teh theory. Pumps are available on teh NHS, but they are currently only given to those thought to be most in need...and this is very dependent on where you live. Otherwise, you will have to pay for it yourself I believe, as no medical insurance company would touch anybody with a pre existing condition.

Sorry, it really is a lottery, and very dependent upon whoyou end up with as your Dr. Unlike teh states, you can not really choose your DR, unless you chooose to go privately. This is possible, but I believe that you basically pay for each visit,,rather than an isurance scheme.

It is great, if you geta good Dr, who agrees that you need teh pump, and will supprt its use, adn pay for the medication. Insulin and test strips are free, but pump consumables will depend on the Dr.
 
Thank you for your reply! That doesn't sound too promising, but hopefully I can find a way to make it happen somehow. I can't imagine going back to injections...
 
If you are eligible for NHS treatment I would really hope the pump would be covered. I don't see how they could justify making you stop a treatment that has been helpful for you.

Everything (except dental treatment, eye tests, glasses, and anything else they choose to charge for eg non-essential stuff (although what the NHS considers non-essential might not be what a normal person would consider non-essential...)) is free, doctors appointments, medication (medication is not free for everyone, but if you are on insulin all you medication is free not just insulin), etc.

You have to be 'ordinarily resident' in the UK to get NHS treatment - what exactly that means you'll have to get proper advice on, it looks complicated! Very simplified, it means you have to live here not just be on holiday here.

You can choose your GP practice, and the specific GP you see in that practice, in England (I have no idea about other parts of the UK). Each GP practice has a catchment area, and you have to be within that area to register there. I've never lived anywhere that wasn't in multiple catchment areas, but I guess in very rural locations there might only be one GP.
 
Thanks so much for your response. It may not be so bad after all I found the UK insulin pumpers site (the US one helped me out a lot when I was contemplating going on the pump) - on it I found info on INPUT - an organization that helps diabetics in the UK get the pump. I sent them an email asking about this issue as well, but I guess I won't know for sure until I know where I will be living/working in the UK. Just trying to plan ahead. Thanks for your input. Much appreciated
 
Hi Freckles

I have moved to the UK myself six months ago (I'm originally from the Netherlands) and everything for me was a really smooth transition.

When I got here I went to see my nearest GP and they got me a NHS number and applied for a medical exemption pass, so from then on all my prescriptions were free and covered by the NHS (not only my insulin and needles and test strips, but I really mean ALL prescriptions written by your GP). Retinal screenings are covered by the NHS as well, but you do need to get a referral from your GP to be able to get an eye test.

Admittedly, I am not using a pump at the moment, but for a few months now the doctors at the hospital have been talking about me trying a pump. They haven't mentioned anything about it not being covered by the NHS so I am assuming that even getting a pump here would be all covered and no problem at all for you.

Everything I need for my diabetes has been covered since the day I got here (even before I got my job!) so I think you will encounter little problems. If you need anything else or want to walk about things in more detail, please don't hesitate to PM me.

Good luck with the big move!
 
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