By law, the NHS ceases to have responsibility for the medical care of patients when they leave the UK.
People traveling outside the UK are advised to carry an authorised European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card at all times and this gives entitlement to reduced cost (and sometimes free) medical treatment. Patients should be advised to check specific entitlements prior to travel. Learn more about this here.
If you feel you need medical attention while you are away, please contact local health care providers directly.
Unfortunately, we don’t have indemnity to provide advice, prescriptions or any health cover when you are outside of the UK. We offer excellent access to healthcare at Mereside Medical Practices. When you are back in the UK, please make contact with us (or phone 111 if out of hours) and we will deal with your problem as swiftly as possible.
Medications Whilst abroad
Please note prescriptions for chronic disease conditions can be supplied prior to leaving the UK for a period of up to 3 months.
GPs are not required by their Terms of Service to provide prescriptions for the treatment of an acute condition that is not present but may arise while the patient is abroad. Persons who have left the UK, or who are intending to leave the UK, for more than 3 months are not normally allowed to continue to be registered with a practice.
If you are going to be abroad for more than three months, we may in exceptional circumstances be able to supply you with up to three months’ supply of your regular medication. If you normally pay for your prescriptions, you will be required to pay accordingly. After this, you should then find an alternative supply of medication until you return to the UK. Please get in touch with your practice if you might need more than the standard one month supply of medication.
