Guernsey residents could get free emergency healthcare when visiting UK

Free emergency healthcare treatment could be brought in by the end of the year for Guernsey islanders who visit the UK. A similar reciprocal health agreement exists between Jersey and the UK but Guernsey has gone without for 13 years.

Betty O'Connell regularly visits her daughter and grandchildren who live in the UK. In 2019 her husband Mick was rushed to hospital in Brighton with acute pancreatitis. Treatment would have cost thousands of pounds. Betty O'Connell said: "He went to hospital and if he hadn't had an RAF pension he would've had to have paid for all his treatment in the UK and the woman said it's lucky it wasn't you that was in as I would've had to pay for the whole three weeks he was in there.

"And every time I go away I have to make sure I have got something to cover me just to go to my daughter." With pre-existing health conditions Betty says getting relevant travel insurance, that includes health cover, is difficult and costly. Many insurers only cover those staying in hotels. A reciprocal health agreement already exists between Jersey and the UK so residents do not pay for emergency treatment. A similar scheme with Guernsey ended in 2009 but it could be set to return. Politicians are expected to debate the new plans in July, after years of negotiations. Deputy Heidi Soulsby, Vice President, Guernsey's Policy and Resources Committee, said: "The costs will vary year on year and the work done has shown it can vary from £300,000 to over half a million a year and there might be other costs but there might be savings and one thing that will help us in terms of the visitor economy. We know people have been concerned coming over here that there isn't a reciprocal health agreement so hopefully it'll help on that side as well." The island's Citizens Advice welcomes the news. Annie Ashmead, Deputy CEO, Guernsey Citizens Advice, said: "It takes away the worry when you travel to the UK or you have friends, family visiting Guernsey it takes away the worry if you need medical treatment." If the plans get the go-ahead from politicians the new scheme could be in place by the end of the year.