<p>Son plans to study in UK.
How do we handle meds that need to be filled monthly? Obviously, prescribing MD is in the States. Should I try to get a way to send him with all he’ll need?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>We’ve been through this situation. S had all of the medication prescriptions filled before leaving to go abroad for the semester- therefore, he had more than enough to tide him over. Plus, he had copies of the prescriptions and everything in its original containers, and there weren’t any problems. He has been overseas several times, and it all worked out well.</p>
<p>Make sure get the doctor to write down the GENERIC names of all the medications. Not the brand names. The brands are probably unknown in the UK. Also check just in case the mediciation is in some way illegal in the UK. unlikely, but possible (those kinds of things that celebrities get addicted to, they’re often illegal in Europe).</p>
<p>I would advise taking everything your son needs with him to save confusion. However, if there is some reason the prescription needs to be issued monthly (perhaps because it has a use-by date or cannot be stored long term) then he needs to speak to the international office at the UK university he is going to. They will put him in touch with either the university health centre (if there is one) or recommended doctor in order to arrange health care. In oxford i go to the doctor recommended by my college for example.</p>
<p>If your son will be in the UK as a full time student for 6 months or more he can register with the UK National Health Service for free. In fact, the university will probably make him (and everyone else) do this. under this scheme 1 prescription medicine costs £7-ish. It doesn’t matter what it is. the cost is the same. For people who need a lot of prescriptions (like my sister who has asthma) you can buy a 3 month “certificate” for £30-something and for those 3 months the certificate is valid, a pharmacist will issue every prescription for no extra charge. That is how it works. Probably your US insurer would cover this cost. Actual visits to the doctor and hospital are free in this case.</p>
<p>If he is going abroad for the semester (ie 15 weeks or so) willhe be covered by the National Health Service?
I don’t think he can fill more than 30 days at a time. In that case he’ll need an Rx which I guess has to be local (and prescribed by a doctor on campus).</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>
For free, no. But basically 99.9% of medical staff in the UK work for the NHS (it’s the biggest employer in Europe apparently). So he will have to pay to see exactly the same doctor. Actually since health care is generally a free service probably he would be treated and billed later, possibly much later. They don’t really have facilities for taking payment in a doctor’s surgery here. This is why the UK gets lots of “health tourists” who turn up, get treated and disappear. </p>
<p>All NHS doctors listed on the web-site linked below. If you get the postcode (like a zip code, but with letters. Just enter the first 2 letters and the first 2 numbers. This is the town and area code) of your son’s accommodation, this page will tell you the name and address of the nearest doctor. This might not be the university one though. It also lists pharmacies, hospitals, opticians, dentists etc.
[NHS</a> Choices](<a href=“The NHS website - NHS”>The NHS website - NHS)</p>
<p>Thanks cupcake.</p>
<p>I will obviously have to call our insurer to see if he is covered while out of the country.</p>
<p>S was able to get a full semester’s worth of meds, etc., which his health plan allowed, and he’s studied and/or worked in three different countries (one of them being England). There was a different health plan during college and post-college, but it didn’t make a difference - he was still covered was was able to take everything that he needed with him. It was very easy and uncomplicated!</p>
<p>Not sure what would happen for the UK, but based on friends’ experiences when I was studying abroad in Italy, DO NOT mail the medications. Customs will have a field day. Either have him get them before he leaves or have him get the prescription filled there.</p>
<p>I don’t think they will fill the meds in advance although I’ll call my insurer about the circumstances. I did go to the Nat’l Healthcare website for Scotland and emailed yesterday to make sure they have the same med available. They do. Good. My son will be able to get the Rx from the campus doctor. </p>
<p>Mailing meds is out of the question as I would never know how long it would take to get there anyway (and be worried about loss.)</p>
<p>Thanks for all your help.</p>
<p>One warning from a friend’s experience- double check the doses!!! What’s 200 mg here could be 500 mg there…</p>
<p>My D just left for Edinburgh and we got 90 day Rx to last until she comes home for Christmas.</p>
<p>Thanks. I have to call the insurance company to see if they’ll let him get the 90 day supply. It would be better to be consistent in what he takes. </p>
<p>I got a quick response from my email to the Nat’; Healthcare. They have his med. Different name but you are right about the dose.</p>