Seeing a doctor while on hols in Normandie

[Ciel Bleu]

I wondered if anyone can answer this query for me please.

We don't own a house in Normandie YET, but have arranged to come over and stay close to Lisieux next month for 2 weeks. My father who is 82 would like to come with us - but he has waterworks problems and needs to see a nurse/doctor every 7 -10 days to have 'things' replaced. His doctor in the UK says there is no reason why he shouldn't come with us - apart from the said problem he's in pretty good shape. His own doctor will supply all 'plumbing components', and a letter explaining his medical difficulties in detail (in English).

Now the big question - we have  E111 forms and insurances for the holiday - we plan to find out the location of the doctor in Lisieux and to visit him asap after we arrive and explain the situation (my French is OK - I think (??) I can get by -fingers crossed). But I've never ever been to a doctor in France, do you think our 'plan' will work, do we need more forms, do/will doctor's provide this type of service for visitors?  

Any thoughts would be very much appreciated - obviously my dad is very apprehensive and I would love to be able to re-assure him or he just won't come.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Val_2]

I don't think you will have any trouble finding a french doctor to look after your Dad. Doctors are the same all the world over, they are here to treat the sick and those that need them regardless of race,colour and residence etc. What your Dad might find is that here in France, doctors on the whole tend to be a lot more thorough and don't count the minutes they give to each patient. We've been with our doctor for nearly an hour once! Just warn your Dad he will get a thorough going over and that payment will be made direct to the doctor at the time of each visit which will result in you getting a Feuille de Soins brown form which you take to the local CPAM along with all your papers to get a reimbursement.

[Ciel Bleu]

Thanks for the re-assurance Val, I have been told before that French doctors leave 'no stone unturned' - that's what we want.

Without wishing to sound completely dumb....is there a CPAM in most towns, presumably the doctor will be able to point us in the direction of the nearest one?

 

[Val_2]

Yes. Every large town in France usually has it's own branch of the CPAM which sometims houses the office for URSSAF and CAF as well. Your doctor will tell you where to find them anyway or a neighbour as everyone here has dealings with them somewhere along the line. Talking of being thorough,my mum went with bad dhiaorreah(spelling) once when here on her hols. Thinking it would just be a prescription she got a shock because he made her strip off,weighed her,took her blood pressure and gave her a real good MOT even though she was a three-monthly regular with her own GP in the UK. Unfortunately she was prescribed Immodium tablets here long before they were heard of in the UK and they turned her bright pink because they clashed with a water tablet she was taking. Another thing,our doctor has for over two years now refused to prescribe Ibuprofen/Nurofen in any shape or form because he was worried about heart problems - low and behold what do we hear last week onthe radio that the UK now has concerns about it too,who said France was behind!

[Ciel Bleu]

Thanks again Val, it all sounds pretty straightforward. I'm spending some time with my parents this weekend, so will be able to explain things to them, although my Dad still seems very apprehensive!

I read about the Ibrupofen 'scare' recently, it always makes me laugh here in England when you can only buy a certain number of this type of painkiller at once, but can easily call again later in the day to buy more.................! Somebody obviously thinks it's logical.....uh?

 

[Teamedup]

Friends found it took quite some time for the CPAM to reimburse them, so maybe it would be quicker to send the forms to Newcastle and get them to reimburse you.

Also you will find drugs in general are far less available in France and can only be bought in the pharmacies. And some things that are  easily available in the UK are only on prescription here too. ****

Incidentally the french aren't always on the ball. When my children were small aspirin was proscribed for children in the UK. My french GP happily prescribed aspirin for them for many years.

 

**** please don't take this to infer the french don't take many drugs, they actually take huge amounts of the things.

[Ron Avery]

TU Why would  CPAM refund the cost and how?

According to the DoH website the E111 cover is ONLY for emergencies and for accidents.

" There are arrangements throughout the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland for coordinating the health care systems of the member states. If you or any of your dependants are suddenly taken ill or have an accident during a visit to any of these countries, free or reduced-cost necessary  treatment is available – in most cases on production of a valid Form E111. Only state provided treatment is covered, and you will receive treatment on the same terms as ‘insured’ residents of the country you are visiting"

So unless the medical insurance covers it, I cannot see how the father would you get free treatment in France for an existing condition.

[Teamedup]

Can't remember the name of the E form that used to exist for pre existing conditions, but someone posted that this particular E form  wasn't necessary any more. This is probably because the new E cards they have issued in France cover both emergency and pre existing conditions. (Anyone travelling prior to this with a pre existing condition should have sorted out the specific E form for their condition and then they would have been covered.)

 

I've just looked this up and as long as the purpose of the visit is not to obtain medical treatment then it is fine to get treatment for a preexisting condition during a holiday and the form for reimbursement can be sent into the local CPAM office.

 

This man will only be reimbursed under french social security rules though and if he wanted the difference picking up, then would need insurance too. I didn't say that he would get free treatment.

[Ciel Bleu]

This weekend I spent quite some time with my Dad, discussing this problem - as I said last week he's very unsure about it all. He's decided not to come to France for a holiday with us - the truth is he finds it all rather embarrasing, given the nature of his medical problems, and the fact that he only has a few words of French. I can understand how he feels!

Many thanks to everybody who replied to my original question - I've learned something, I hadn't even heard of a CPAM office before!!