Hi , thanks for your post. The minsitry of health has sent me the following info.
The long and short of it is that you need to register with a GP and then get private prescript
ions for the meds you need (a letter from your UK doc is required for this) and then you have to pay for the medications in full. I have gone direct to the pharmaceutical companies to check the drugs are available in NZ which they are and they have also told me a price. Next step is to contact chemists and check who sells the meds for the cheapest! Its not going to be cheap and I think 2 years is now unrealistic but least I know I can "survive" there. Just need some cash!
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Eligibility for publicly funded health and disability services
While you are in New Zealand holding either a visitors or working holiday permit you will not be eligible for all publicly funded health and disability services.
However, if you are a UK citizen, there will be some services you will be eligible for.
There is a reciprocal health care agreement between New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and UK citizens can get publicly funded immediate and necessary treatment. It will not cover regular medication, however.
Details of the reciprocal agreement follow.
Reciprocal agreement
Under the Reciprocal Agreement New Zealand has with the UK, UK citizens who are:
- ordinarily reside in the UK, and
- in New Zealand temporarily
are covered for medical treatment which, in the opinion of a medical practitioner (or dental practitioner for people under 19 years) is required promptly for a condition that arose after arriving in New Zealand, or for conditions that become worse or would have become worse if treatment was not provided.
People who are not eligible for publicly funded health and disability services should get travel insurance that includes health cover. This includes people who have cover for acute conditions under reciprocal health agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom, as these agreements do not include follow up care, rehabilitation or repatriation expenses, or ongoing treatment or medicines for existing conditions. Under New Zealand law there is also very limited ability to sue for injury.
Medication
As with any person, eligible or not, you are able to obtain services from a general practitioner. A GP can prescribe any appropriate medications, provided they are licensed for use in New Zealand. If you are not eligible for that treatment, you would need to pay the full, private cost of that treatment and for the prescript
ions.
To be able to get the medication you require, after arriving, register with a health service provider (doctor/general practitioner) in the area you will be living in. It will be helpful for him/her if you had a letter from your doctor in the United Kingdom or some form of documentation so that the correct medication can be prescribed to you. The charges for each doctor varies and you should ask what fees you might need to pay before confiming any appointment. For further information on what you can expect to pay in terms of fees, you could contact the Primary Health Organisation in the area you are expecting to live. You can find their contact details here: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/contact-us-pho
To find out whether the medication you are currently prescribed is available, and to find out the cost, I suggest you contact a pharmacy in New Zealand. Pharmacies are privately owned, and you will find contact details for them in the New Zealand yellow pages on line.
I hope this is of some help to you and that you enjoy your stay when you do arrive here in New Zealand.
Nancy Hayden
Executive Assistant
Primary Health Policy
Health & Disability Services Policy Group
Population Health Directorate
Ministry of Health
DDI: 04 496 2004
Fax: 04 496 2344
mailto:
[email protected]