Emigrating to Wales with cardiovascular disease

Presently living in Cape Town South Africa , British Citizen . Wanting to move to Wales / Swansea area to be near my daughter. I had heart attack and quadruple bypass age 49 , now 61 . I’ve had 2 heart attack since then with last one 18 months resulting in having a stent. Here I have private medical aid plus access to top cardiologists , hospitals etc. My concern is moving to Wales what can I expect from NHS & will I be able to get private medical insurance. Thank

[Prada47]

Difficult to say about NHS Wales a lot depends on the Area you are considering !!

With regards to Private Health Insurance we have a pretty decent system with Private Hospitals etc.

Health Insurance tends to be pretty International have you explored a continuation of your current Insurance to the UK ???

Good Luck with your move nice to see your age and health is not preventing you making what looks like a very sensible decision.

Regards

[Hidden in reply to Prada47]

problem is my condition no one I’ll insure in UK

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Well with that comment - surely you have answered your own question? As for NHS Wales perhaps if you look on NHS Wales web site, that may give you an insight into the care system - however it must be said that I PERSONALLY BELIEVE that NHS Wales has a slight problem with funding and limps on from one crisis to another and is directly affected by politics in the region. I also see no reason why you should not be able to contact the coronary care unit closest to where you want to live and ask them the question directly, advising you are returning to the UK on a permanent basis and not as an NHS tourist

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

We have tried but not successful .

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Well why not ask someone from Heart Matters is you have the best number to contact the relevant specialist - NHS directory enquiries are renowned for being complicated

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks so much for that info , I’ve never heard of them

[Gowers]

I am not sure but think ?? There is only one private hospital in Swansea where some nhs consultants do consultations.

I know the nhs Morriston hospital in Swansea has a very good cardiac dept as i know of 2 people who had major surgery here & good care afterwards.

Maybe your daughters gp/surgery could advise on what is available private & NHS.

[Hidden in reply to Gowers]

Thanks , my wife is going over in July & hopefully can find out exactly . I dare not emigrate if not

[Gowers in reply to Hidden]

Ah right. I take it your private health insurance will not be valid in the uk?

[Hidden in reply to Gowers]

Vitality in UK is run differently to Discovery here plus all UK Private Health Insurance companies will not cover any existing health problems . NHS or nothing for me so very worrying as we really want to be with our only child . Also want to get out of South Africa.

[Gowers in reply to Hidden]

Oh dear - I feel for you.

Don't know where in Swansea you would be thinking of living but, nearly 2 years ago a friends husband was seriously ill with multiple heart problems/valve failure. They moved from south of England to be nearer their children in Swansea & they were advised of the excellent cardio care in Morriston hospital

In fact, at the time they had been told no one would or could do anything more because the scarring around heart made it almost impossible.

But, surgeon at Morriston felt confident & promised to do his best and a week later he was home and has already this year done two trips abroad.

hopefully your wife can get the necessary reassurance + information you need on her next visit

Let us know how you get on

[Hidden in reply to Gowers]

Excellent , yes I’ve been reading good things about the hospital . We would be looking at living in Swansea

[Gowers in reply to Hidden]

No place like it though I moved away long while ago I still have family there so live to visit.

[Hidden in reply to Gowers]

Family still in South Africa?<

[Hidden in reply to Gowers]

Visited Swansea twice last year ( daughter st Swansea Uni) love the area and the Welsh are wonderful & friendly. It’s unpredictable future and the stress of daily very serious crime here as well as our only child living that makes us want to move there. The other problem we have is finding a house to rent in Swansea area that allows a dog !

[Gowers in reply to Hidden]

In the 70's Swansea was known as "the graveyard of all ambition" because when companies had folk relocating to the area for work they found most didn't want promotion because they loved the area & its many beaches so much!

(Hope you manage to find a rental property that accepts dogs)

[Hidden in reply to Gowers]

That’s incredible

[Zena166]

Hi Strandloper. What about considering living in Bristol in England? It’s about 80 miles away and has a very good dedicated Cardiac hospital link is here uhbristol.nhs.uk/patients-a...

The distance between Swansea and Bristol is about 80 miles across the Severn bridge and they recently scrapped tolls!

Anyway it’s just a thought as a different option. Best wishes Zena

[Hidden]

Thanks , appreciate that

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

Hello Strandloper

I think the issue of access to NHS services revolves around residency status.

I don't know whether you've read the papers on the NHS site,i know it relates to England, but I'm finding it difficult to find anything much on services in Wales

nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-se...

[Hidden]

I have a British passport & im still a citizen so I have access to NHS

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to Hidden]

Sorry I misread your original post

[Hidden in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Appreciate your replies

[afansmum1]

Hello. I can recommend Morriston hospital Swansea too. I have had a stent put in there, and an ICD last October. Good consultants and nursing staff.

[Hidden in reply to afansmum1]

Thank you for reply , we will be living no more than 20 km from Morriston Hospital so great to know . My main concern is ongoing outpatient care and waiting times etc experienced with NHS

[Gowers in reply to afansmum1]

Yes, I have family & friends who have had excellent care there.

[NorthantsSteve]

I just wanted to add that I know the NHS gets a lot of bad press (and I can’t speak for the Swansea area or for Wales) but my experience has been brilliant. Superb and timely treatment by highly qualified consultants and really kind and expert support staff. And I went to a hospital trust that was previously seen as struggling. I think it’s in the nature of bad experiences that they get shared more widely than the good ones.

[Hidden]

Thanks so much for your reply I really appreciate everyone’s input

[Billiewizz]

I live in Wales and moved here from Kent last September. Have had great care. I have Dilated Cardiomyopathy and have a CRTD fitted. Am seen in local hospital in Abergavenny for HF and University Hospital Cardiff, under a Professor Yousef for CRTD , he and his Team are excellent. I don’t think you will need private care once you have passed habitual residency test, after 6 months.

[Hidden in reply to Billiewizz]

Thanks , as far as I know I have immediate NHS care as I am a British Passport Holder & British Citizen .

[Billiewizz]

google.com/search?q=habitua... Have a look at this link or look at turn to us a great organisation that will give you chapter and verse re habitual residency test.

[Hidden]

Thanks , that’s really great of you. Mike

[Hidden]

That's all I can say is that I am Welsh and have had nothing but excellent care from Doctor's, Hospitals, Ambulance Service and everyone else that are connected. Why not go onto the NHS Wales Direct Website or try Citizen's Advice. I'm sure they can answer some of your concerns. Cymru Am Byth 😀

[Prada47 in reply to Hidden]

Cymru am Byth even lol

From someone who learnt to spell Ynysybwl from an early age

[Hidden in reply to Prada47]

Well you should be proud of your Welsh heritage as I have never felt so at home as I have when I’ve visited Wales .

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

That's brilliant and yes we are a very Proud Nation. I really hope you can come here. By the way, apologies, I didn't get round to reading all the comments 😊

[Hidden]

I’ve tried but difficult to get exact info . Yes we fell in love with Wales & wonderful friendly Welsh .

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

😊😊😊😊

[Hidden]

Our only childv( daughter ) is studying at Swansea University , extremely happy . Jarren is also very involved with Discovery a Charity , youth etcetc. Police duty at weekend

[Hidden]

Finally making the move in 3 weeks , bought a house in Mumbles , Swansea