Medical and dental treatment is available to Service personnel and their registered dependants under British Tri-Service and International arrangements at SHAPE.  For all other temporary visitors, (i.e. your house guests), non-routine medical assistance will be provided as long as you have recorded your visitors with the UKJSU Admin Office prior to their arrival in SHAPE.  Medical Insurance and possession of an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) are both strongly advised.

Vaccinations.  You should consult your private doctor or medical officer before you leave the UK to discuss vaccinations.  Your spouse and children may wish to be vaccinated against Tetanus and Diphtheria.  There is a legal requirement in Belgium for everyone to be immunised against Poliomyelitis.

Location.  The UK Medical Centre is located in the SHAPE Health Care Facility and provides all necessary information on registering.  A separate Health Care Guide can be collected from the centre on arrival.

Registration of Dependants.  In order to ensure speedy transfer of NHS Documents to the UK Medical Centre, heads of families should register their dependants at the first opportunity.  You will need your NHS Number and the address of your last GP.If any family member is receiving ongoing treatment for a special medical condition, it is advisable that you bring with you a note from your Medical Officer or GP, giving details of the medical requirement and of repeat prescriptions.

Waiting Lists. If you are on a waiting list for a consultation or an appointment, take action now.  You will need to seek advice from the SHAPE Medical Centre.  Some treatments may be quicker to start the process again in Belgium whilst, in other cases, it may be better to retain your position on the UK waiting list.  However, no guarantee can be made on reimbursement of travel costs.  Irrespective of where you are moving from you are advised to take the following action (if moving overseas you must inform your unit personnel staff of any family medical problems).  You may have the option to:

Remain on the waiting list of the original hospital for inpatient/outpatient treatment/appointment.

• Arrange to transfer your care to a hospital in the area to which you are moving.

You should discuss these options with your GP before coming to a decision.  GPs should be aware of waiting times at the hospitals they may refer patients to.  In addition, to help make an informed choice, patients can telephone the College of Health’s Waiting List Helpline or NHS Direct to obtain further information on waiting times locally.  These telephone numbers are given below.

The College of Health Waiting List Helpline 0208 983 11 33

NHS Direct (England, Wales & Northern Ireland*) 0845 46 47

NHS 24 (Scotland although does not yet cover whole area) 0845 4 24 24 24.

*NB: advice on hospital waiting lists in Northern Ireland will be limited.  Alternatively visit or telephone your local HIVE who will be able to five you contact numbers.

If you choose to remain on the waiting list of the original hospital you should:

Inform your GP, or equivalent, that you are about to move but have chosen to still have your inpatient/outpatient treatment at the original hospital.

• Inform the hospital you are about to move but have chosen to remain on the waiting list of the original hospital.  Give new contact details so that the hospital can arrange a suitable date for treatment.
• Register with the SHAPE Medical Centre upon arrival; inform the Doctor that you are waiting for inpatient/outpatient treatment at the original hospital.
• Tell the original hospital the name and address of the new Doctor so that post-operative continuity of care is assured.

If you have asked for your care to be transferred you should:

Inform your GP, or equivalent, that you are about to move and have asked that your inpatient treatment be transferred to a hospital in the area to which you are moving.

• Keep in touch with the original hospital to get details of the hospital, (including name of consultant) to which you have been transferred.
• Register with the SHAPE Medical Centre upon arrival, inform the Doctor of need to arrange treatment.
• The SHAPE Doctor will arrange for an appointment with a local consultant and liaise with the appropriate Hospital.

It is important to follow these steps so that health professionals are aware of your situation and can assist you in this transition.  You should always ensure that you notify your GP and the hospital about a change of address so that they can contact you swiftly.  If you are experiencing problems then please notify your unit personnel staff

Charges.  There are no charges for medical treatment or prescriptions authorised by the Medical Officer, however, NHS dental charges will be levied against UKBS’c, spouses and dependants with the following exceptions:

Expectant mothers.

• Mothers who have had a baby within the last 12 months.
• Dependants under 18 years of age.
• Dependants in full-time education.
• Dependants in possession of NHS charge certificate AG2.
• Those in receipt of family credit.

Orthodontic Treatment.

Obtaining Orthodontic treatment can be difficult and it is not always possible to transfer treatment between orthodontic specialists.  This can cause difficulties due to the length of some treatments.  You are advised to consult the orthodontist early on if any of your family is undergoing treatment to see how it can best be continued.  If you have children at boarding school it is often best to have any treatment carried out at the school location so it can continue irrespective of moves.  It is extremely difficult to find treatment on the NHS, and long waiting times should be expected.