Going abroad for medical treatment- any experiences?

ElaFo

Hello lovely community, 
my mom is due to have surgery abroad. This was based on her Uk GP advice. He gave us a letter saying this is the best thing to do as here everything has been delayed for the Covid-19 outbreak. The time abroad will be around 1 month and half including her rehabilitation. She receives Universal Credit and PIP so when I asked the DWP if this would affect her benefits they told me that she is allowed to go abroad for medical treatment for up to 28 weeks BUT the final decision will be made by a decision maker so there is a chance her benefit would stop. (?)

Have you ever manage to go abroad for medical treatment without your benefits beings affected?
Let me know you experiences, if there is anything I can do/evidence/documents to make sure they won't cut her benefits. 
Thank you!! 

Lulu_1949

Oh my dear don’t know the answer to the benefits I am so sorry but is there no chance she can have it done here on the NHS, what sort of surgery is it if you don’t mind me asking. I have had heart trouble and the NHS were wonderful , just had a hip replacement in Tenerife Cos I had a fall there and I was kept in bed for 10  days whereas they get you up following day here so it prolonged my recovery. The surgery was great , hip fine , just the aftercare. Xx

ElaFo

Hi Lulu, thank you for your reply! It is a hip replacement too! :-)) The thing is my mom has also severe depression and she's been waiting to have it with the NHS for a year now. The uk hospital told me that she is unlikely to have it done before Nov/Dec. She has osteoarthitis and to the point she cannot walk anymore...so the GP advised me to go abroad and get it done asap. 

katho31

im sorry to hear of your situation. i would ring your local council regarding having surgery abroad. also ring dwp as it does state that you can only be abroad for medical reasons for one  month. hope someone can advise you on this shortly. just my opinion, but i would be hesitant to go abroad for this operation.

janer1967

@katho31 @ElaFo @Adrian_Scope

katho31 said:

im sorry to hear of your situation. i would ring your local council regarding having surgery abroad. also ring dwp as it does state that you can only be abroad for medical reasons for one  month. hope someone can advise you on this shortly. just my opinion, but i would be hesitant to go abroad for this operation.

As above you can actually go abroad for medical treatment for up to  26 weeks, as you have done you need to inform DWP of this and they will make a decision.

Im not sure what evidence they will need I would imagine anything you have like letters from consultant, discharge notes any medical evidence I would keep in case it is asked for 

I hope your mums surgery is a success

janer1967

I wold think they would take into account the reason why there is the need to go abroad for the treatment, so evidence of how long the wait is in UK and how the wait will impact on the person

Lulu_1949

@ElaFo asI said before that’s what I had, it’s a huge op and it’s afterwards, it was a nightmare getting me home afterwards, I had to sit across three seats on the way home, and have the ambulance to the airport and an ambulance waiting for me in this country.. the pain lasts quite a while. It’s lovely that you are giving your mum support. My kids were there for me. Choose wisely my love xx

Lulu_1949

@woodbine yes agree with you 100% , the pain is unbearable, couldn’t even contemplate getting up to go to the loo on the plane.hurts just remembering it ! X

Lulu_1949

I agree agree with Cressida, would rather wait and have it done here x