WITH Guernsey’s two-way health deal with the UK having ended yesterday, some islanders said they were confused as to what action they should take.
Others expressed concerns at a lack of consultation and advice.
Under the historic reciprocal health agreement which has ended any islander travelling to the UK would be covered for health care costs.
It was announced in February that it would end, so, from today, travellers will either have to rely on private health cover, take out extra travel insurance or hand over cash to pay their bill.
Some people were asking why more had not been done to fight the UK’s decision to scrap the deal or to find out what the public thought.
‘It’s all come up rather suddenly and we have not been told all the details,’ said retired banker Richard Ellis.
The rules of the agreement allowed either party to end it with three months’ notice.
As it was the UK’s decision to end it, it was out of the Health and Social Services Department’s control and there was little it could do, said minister Hunter Adam.
‘We had no choice.’
Deputy Adam said it had told departments likely to be affected by letter. It had also contacted the Policy Council.
‘We wrote to departments which we felt might have concerns by this agreement coming to an end.’ They included Education and Commerce and Employment as well as the travel and tourism industries.
A spokesman for the UK Department of Health told the Guernsey Press that another reason for the termination was that UK tourists still had to pay for many health services in the Channel Islands, despite the agreement.
These included prescribed medicines, emergency hospital and dental treatment, GP and other medical care and ambulance travel in Guernsey, and for GP treatment, dental care and prescribed medicines in Jersey.
It said that, despite the long-standing arrangement, the department had always recommended UK residents take out private cover if planning to travel to the Channel Islands.
Article posted on 1st April, 2009 - 2.00pm
28 Article Comments
Well islanders obviously ‘worry’ about nothing. If you travel you get insured – it really isn’t that difficult.
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And you Guernsey people still think that England cares what happens to you?
found out many years ago, how they work, take all, give little in exchange,
You suffer higher taxes than those who deposit their loot in our Island. If they were fair about things they would pay a much higher rate than locals. if for no other reason than we allow them to stay in our Island.
So please don’t talk about being a dependency; It’s a word used to assure the unknown. and a sort of emblem; Pah nonsense and downright nasty. just pure nonsense.
They are fighting wars now that has absolute nothing to do with them; If it was to stop the drug trade, it might be good, but they don’t stop it and billions of £s are sent over the borders each day. Yet young people are killed or maimed, on the whim of some out of date old buffoon in high grade of military.
Shame on you England, the way you have treated, and continue to treat some smaller than yourselves, But your day will come, you’ll be rightly rewarded, and It will be no use in-praying for forgiveness. You may get a little lenient punishment but you must get out now.
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what about uni students living in the UK?
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We dont need them and their hypocritical politicians lets get out now.
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England seem to be putting more and more distance between us, this health agreement, delaying passing our laws, forcing new border agreements and not defending us externally with the steps that have been taken in finance that they have asked for!
It makes you wonder if they are trying to tell us something a?
I for one would like to see this Island stand on its own two feet, people moan about our political system and our politicians but it is no better anywhere else. Better here if you ask me at least we can see most of it :)
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To Guern:L
Do you think England is the only seat of learning in the world?
To breed people who then come back [if they come back] to bring more propaganda to the people of Guernsey.
Besides that. they chose to go; Why?
Which now confirm, the thoughts I and many others have about the boasting of the education authorities who say re-build here and there we are as good as they have in England, or such vain talk. And more important the Islands money.
No; it’s the thought of What might go after a name at the Uni’s. all those medieval things; England is so steeped in their ways as making it sound pathetic to hear them.
Old fashioned beyond belief. Wigs and cloaks from some distant past What a laugh, and people fall for all that nonsense.
Education is good, but not when the burden falls on the those left behind.
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ERIC. ANDY….Look at it this way. Why should the UK pay islanders health costs ad-lib when islanders do nothing to support the UK? In fact, Guernsey offers nothing and gains much from the UK by encouraging UK businesses and the wealthy to deposit their money in Guernsey to avoid higher UK tax rates. And then there’s Guernsey’s Uni-students…… So in all, you have not a thing to complain about, not a thing. Oh, and don’t forget that the UK and other countries fighting forces liberated you from the Nazi’s….oh, and Eric, the UK and other counries are fighting a war to stop the equivalent of another Nazi era, or are you too young to even consider appreciating that?
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Well done expat80 – you did forget to mention the fact Islanders can move at any time without having to be lisenced etc, it is too easy, they can do what they want, different story if someone wants to move to Guernsey for genuine reasons, without winning the lottery it is an impossible task, Islanders dont pay UK national insurance so why should the UK pay for their health costs or anything else for that matter, again it boils down to you want all the benefits the UK can give but want to keep the Island to yourselves, you cant have it all ways.
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60000 can move to the UK therefore its unfair that 60000000 can’t move to Guernsey? Not one of the better arguments.
And anyway, put restrictions on us if you want UK Home Office; still won’t change the fact the the island cannot have an open door policy.
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I’m no insurance expert, but reading my own travel insurance in the past its only applied if you stay a minimum of 3 nights in paid accomodation. So go over for 2 days and you woudn’t be covered, stay with family and you wouldn’t be covered. If you ask me thats worth worrying about!
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Expat 80.
Oh dear if you only knew a few more things perhaps you would have so loose a lip that you seem to have. Age doesn’t come into it; but I daresay I could be old enough to have lived through all you mention’
Oh and please give it a ‘brake’ of how they liberated us, they sent some soldiers who marched through a street where German soldiers were, they the Germans had two days before you ‘Ha ha’ Liberators came.
The English did nothing for us at all, We the Islanders had to fend for ourselves against the two enemies in our midst, The Germans and the slave workers they brought over; They had nothing to lose, so they plundered and had weapons. You will smirk now reading this, but that which I have said and written is the truth of how we were “Liberated”
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Gemma – you are correct. Many people have annual travel insurance policies and usually they either do not cover the UK at all or have a minimum stay requirement. Therefore this is something that people should worry about (just a little) so that they check their insurance and find out the position. A&E will still be free, and if you have private health insurance it is likely that this will cover private treatment in the UK – so just ensure that you are moved to a private ward after A&E and not to an NHS ward, because you would have to pay for the latter but your health insurance will not pay for it. It’s not a big issue really, just something that people need to be aware of. I can understand why the UK thinks that it was a policy that cost them more than it cost us, although it also seems a little petty to stop it.
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What if we are in the UK for a course related to our employment and then get sick or injured. Are we as individuals liable or is teh employer??
I have asked this query of my employer and they do not know.
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The reciprocal health agreement with the UK was a very good deal for Guernsey people but, lets face it, wasn’t exactly good value for the UK tax payer.
I am not surprised they got rid of it.
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Too many 000000’s in Jackies letter, not that many people would like to move to Guernsey, missing the point of the health situation, its had to be paid for in Guernsey all these years so what has changed!!!
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JOHN, an excellent comment and you are so right. Thank you.
ERIC, perhaps I do know a few more things. How old are you exactly? I’m also from Guernsey, in my seventies, so calling me ‘you liberators’ by assuming I’m from the UK is a little misguided to say the least. By ‘Liberators’ I refered not simply to the few who came ashore at St Peter Port and brought that wonderful message even though they were thrilled to do so, but rather I refer to all the brave men and women, including Channel Island men and women who went to fight in Europe, some surviving some not, in total making it possible for Channel Islanders and many other European countries to be ‘liberated’. Channel Islanders went through hell and that’s for sure and my Grandad was one of those who stayed for the occupation as did my wifes parents. My Dad fought in Europe, a tank gunner in Africa, as did my uncles. I was too young to fight the Nazi’s and Italians so the last boat leaving the island my Mother took my sister and I to the UK where relatives took us in and cared for us. So to say, as you do, “…the UK never did anything for us at all” is very very uncharitable indeed and you really should put a cork in it.
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A difficult one. I am a Guernsey Girl living in the UK. I went to uni in 2001 and never returned. People in England moan about the Health Service im like shut up, its great, its FREE (taxs, blar blar, everyones pays just dont look at the amount!).
TRUE i am always insured for travel but it does state you have to have pre-booked in accomadation, I stay with family. I thought about going to the Dr when i was over last and i had food poisoning…..they said it was £55 for appointment and the the drugs on top….I should of just given my old details and seen if that worked…..i didnt try eating and visisted Boots instead!
Increase taxs and opt for a NHS, that way more sick people would visist sooner and there would be less of the very ILL.
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Query
A responsible employer should provide you with adequate health cover. If they don’t, then you are perfectly within your right to refuse to go.
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Can someone clarify ……..does the ending of the UK reciropocal health services agreement apply only to Guernsey folk who happen to be holidaying in the UK and suddenly get taken ill or have an accident and need health services?
Or does it also mean an end to the current full breadth of UK health services available to Guernsey folk for medical work for which Guernsey does not have the facilities and in which case they can then be transferred to UK hospital facilities? Thank you in anticipation……
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I think our Government have made a big mistake here. Guernsey will be the losers as usual. We will lose out because we have to take out special insurance to cover the UK (most current travel insurance does not cover UK) and it will probably effect the tourist industry as UK visitors will have to pay for all healthcare in Guernsey – even emergency care (which seems to be a mistake in the interpretation of the agreement as surely UK visitors should be entitled to the same free emergency care as we would get in the UK).
I too asked my employers if i would be covered when i travel over for work purposes but they are unsure and are looking into it.
A little bit of leadership from the Board of Health could have kept the agreement as it was. Now how many more administrators are they going to have to employ in order to work the accounts out from the people attending hospital and doctors in Guernsey who are visitors. It will probably cost more than they get in payments.
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Expat80 – my understanding is that the change just affects the treatment that you need if you fall sick or are injured while in the UK. If you get referred to the UK by a doctor here, then nothing has changed.
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Merlin
The Guernsey government has not made a big mistake.
Clever move to put the cost on to the individual.
Yet another stealth tax.
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SJ, how do you consider paying for your own healthcare to be a stealth tax?
I’m puzzled by this statement!
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I do not wish to make this a slanging match; but if we are to discuss things lets get it in order,
Now to start with show me in my letters where I called you a liberator; because you insinuate that I did that when referring to the ‘Liberators’
I could give nyou quite a good many years, if it came to the crunch.
However it was always that way; you believe all the Anglo-Saxons say: the trust was lost many years ago.
Betrayal was rampant aye! also amongst Guernsey people; just look up and see how many were imprisoned, then later declared as being not “Quite nice” by the returning people (not all I might add)
Oh I drove Tanks as well, Churchills, Comets, Sherman’s, and that ‘orrible little General Gran; Naturally it was after the war,
Loss of family as was many Islanders.Brothers!
I did not forget the effort by those Anglos, but what is always a bitter pill is they did it alone; My word: talk of loud mouths.
If I had the time and inclination I could tell you of many people who were praised and in fact honoured at wars end,
Yet they let us down miserably. and many know that, but always the propaganda from the Anglo side is a powerful weapon; If you believe it.
Well there you are, read a bit more, not only about the war years; but go back to the 14th century when it really began; The bitter hatred of the French because they fought and won for their country; the bitterness after 1066. read all the things they did to a little Island and maybe you’ll get an inkling of how I and many of us feel.
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ERIC, think I’ll pass on your invitation. Can’t make head or tail of it anyway, for instance what the heck as the 14th century really got to do with todays world anyway, but I really got a chuckle out of that one. Cheers.
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Expat80
As James read;
for “your eyes only”
the 14Th century those rich landowners, those that stole large chunks of Guernsey voted to be part of the UK- but were satisfied with Guernsey becoming a dependency; It was quite easy for them; because only land owners could vote; the same almost was used in the empire building; If you don’t speak English you can’t vote.
It has all to do with the past expat; You must be well trained if you believe all they say, The Anglo Saxons started when they came to help the Brits fight the Scots, and they stayed and stayed.
Just read how they treated the Scots– and yes it has all to do with Guernsey; for they use and have used the same tactics where-ever they go.
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As this is quid quo pro what is the problem? Brits coming to the Channel Islands will have to pay and vice versa.
But consider this:
Guernsey person goes to Britain, falls ill, goes to hospital, pays for healthcare.
Brit goes to Guernsey, falls ill, goes to hospital, pays for healthcare.
Guernsey person goes to Britain, falls ill, goes to hospital, hospital messes up, Guernsey person goes to solicitor, sues hospital.
Brit goes to Guernsey, falls ill, goes to hospital, hospital messes up, Brit goes to advocate, advocate tells Brit to keep their mouth shut and not rock the boat.
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>>Just read how they treated the Scots– and yes it has all to do with Guernsey; for they use and have used the same tactics where-ever they go.<<
OK Eric, I’ll humour you. The English have never been very nice – no doubt. They’ve tortured their own, cleared their own and fought their own – they’ve done the same in a third of the rest of the world. Take Tasmania for example – there was a literal hunting season on the the now extinct aborigines. Hideous lot really.
The only comparison I can see in Guernsey is between the Higland Clearences and ‘Economic Clearances’. It’s true there aren’t a bunch or redcoats running through islanders at the behest of the local Laird; but it is true to say due to the economic influx or English sheep grazing our land many islanders have left.
Is that a modern day ‘clearance’. Possibly
And continuing the Scottish analogy; didn’t the English use the Lowlanders on the Highlanders at various stages of internicine battles? Has King Finance VI used his local Highland forces on the true tartan wearing Guernseyman? Ok….maybe ;)
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