Mylady Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Hi I just called to book our medical in Sheffield and was told that as of this friday,there will only be 3 Panel doctors across UK.Has anyone heard of these changes.The lady I spoke to said that Diac has removed most of the Panel docters of the list and as of friday Sheffield Medical Centre will not be allowed to do any medicals for Australia.She is trying to get us in before Friday but if she cannot,Does anybody know of the new list of Panel Docters,we are stuffed if they are all near London. One step forward two steps back:arghh: Kind Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry & Melanie Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Hi, I havn't heard anything about this, but this is the info. on the DIAC website: United Kingdom – Panel Doctors Melanie x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bindog1uk Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Will be interesting to find out where our nearest will be then, we live in Newton Abbot Devon and our nearest at the moment is in Plymouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Magnetic6 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I had my medical last week in Manchester with Medmigration, 11 St John Street. The panel doctor there was excellent and isn't affected by the new list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lilunoz Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 HiI just called to book our medical in Sheffield and was told that as of this friday,there will only be 3 Panel doctors across UK.Has anyone heard of these changes.The lady I spoke to said that Diac has removed most of the Panel docters of the list and as of friday Sheffield Medical Centre will not be allowed to do any medicals for Australia.She is trying to get us in before Friday but if she cannot,Does anybody know of the new list of Panel Docters,we are stuffed if they are all near London. One step forward two steps back:arghh: Kind Regards Hi ya. Yep unfortunately I got caught in this too. Had everything booked for Dover (where I live) then a week before I was due to have it I got a call from the x ray dept saying that they were no longer allowed to do it. From what I understand they are trying to centralise everything so you have the medical an x ray in the same place. I ended up going to London but then that was just a 2 hour train journey for me so no huge deal. Hang in there Mylady. I have got myself in a right state over little things and like you say its 1 step forward 2 steps back. Have faith, you will get there xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mylady Posted January 11, 2010 Author Share Posted January 11, 2010 Hi,I havn't heard anything about this, but this is the info. on the DIAC website: United Kingdom – Panel Doctors Melanie x Hi Well on the diac website their list of Panel Docters has not changed.Sheffield is still on there.I dont think DIAC knows if they going up the stairs or coming down the stairs:wacko: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyjamie Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 We calle done near Edinburgh the other day and they never mentioned anything the happily gave us a quote? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillabong Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Hi guys, Just had a quick look on the DIAC site and this is what it says at top of list for panel doctors: "The United Kingdom and Ireland medical panel are currently under review. Please ensure you check doctor details close to the date of your intended appointment as changes may have been made and previously listed clinics may no longer be available. Failure to attend a formal clinic may result in you being requested to repeat your medical examination." So they probably are going to change things!! Bindog1uk: I see you are in Newton, we are in Denbury, nice to know there is someone so close, and in this part of the world, that's going through the same things!! hope your all having a good day Jill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mylady Posted January 11, 2010 Author Share Posted January 11, 2010 Hi Just to let you know I couldn`t find any Panel docters still on the list from South Yorkshire.I have now booked our meds in Manchester for Wednesday the 13/01.Now I start panicking all over again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr luvpants Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I thought this was a wind up until I tried ringing a few up. Every one bar one said they will not be carrying out visa medicals after Friday! This includes the surgeries in Harley street! I am not sure what to do. We have only just put in for our 176 last week and were thinking of front loading the meds and police checks to hopefully speed things up. We are cat 2 CSL (nurse) and I really think that we will get our visa grant in the Autumn. I have booked the medicals for wednesday and will have a chat wilth the boss when she gets home. Incidentally the medical centre I booked with were pretty P@ssed off that the business had been taken off them for no fault of theirs, that they even gave me a 10% discount if I booked there and then! I have no idea what the motivation is behind it. The only reason that I can give is that if there is only a few places doing medicals then this would slow down the process? JOHN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmylife Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 great, they better keep a place in Northern Ireland, or I will be big style p***ed off if I have to drag the whole family over to London or to Dublin and the additional costs that will add for us (we don't have a car) , we don't have a day this week that we are all off together to try to squeeze them in before the changes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest andy crawley Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 yep thats seems about right... thing seem to be getting harder Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rachbarlow Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 yep thats seems about right... thing seem to be getting harderAndy As if they were not near impossible at it is!!!! Another change that was not needed!!! This now creates the problem that you will probably have to wait months for an appointment. Some person sat at the top on a lot of $$$$$$ is making totally unneccessary changes. If it isn't broken don't fix it. Then there is the added cost of going further. This whole process was meant to be exciting and fun, the start to a new life, but instead it has turned into a stressful expensive nightmare. :arghh: Pity entry to the UK isn't this way!! When a CO asks for meds do have a certain time to do them in? I know you go as soon as possible for obvious reasons, but if this is all being centralised appointments could be a nightmare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 As if they were not near impossible at it is!!!! Another change that was not needed!!! This now creates the problem that you will probably have to wait months for an appointment. Some person sat at the top on a lot of $$$$$$ is making totally unneccessary changes. If it isn't broken don't fix it. Then there is the added cost of going further. This whole process was meant to be exciting and fun, the start to a new life, but instead it has turned into a stressful expensive nightmare. :arghh: Pity entry to the UK isn't this way!! When a CO asks for meds do have a certain time to do them in? I know you go as soon as possible for obvious reasons, but if this is all being centralised appointments could be a nightmare? Do not assume it is easy to get into the UK. You have never tried it as a foreigner. My nephew is still waiting for his Turkish wife to be granted her spouse visa (2years temp before getting indefinite leave to remain). They have been together (with evidence) for 3 years and married for over a year. Applied for her as he got a job back in UK after being with her in Istanbul. He has nice flat and job in London and she has a job waiting for her. The British embassy/consulate in Istanbul hold her passport as part of the process (not a copy) so she can't travel to see him whilst the application is in process so he has to keep flying out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmylife Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 After reading all this I sent an email to the local panels doctors and radiologists and I've just got a phone call from the hospital that does the x-rays in Belfast to say that as of this morning they are no longer able to do x-rays for australian immigration purposes, they seemed a bit baffled by it all, off now to find out where is still doing it... going by other people's time line we are hoping to be asked for medicals within the next month or so, don't want to be held up by this all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Hi All The Panel Doctors Gateway is full of news about e-Health: Panel Doctors Gateway The List of Panel Doctors in the UK seems to show that some of them are geared up for e-Health but that the majority are not: United Kingdom – Panel Doctors Nearly 3 years ago the Australian National Audit Office was scathing about DIAC's chaotic maladministration of the Health Requirement for Migration: http://www.anao.gov.au/uploads/documents/2006-07_Audit_Report_37.pdf Apparently 3 different computer systems are used to record different applicants meds (according to which visa is being sought) and at least one of the health computer systems is not compatible with the ICSE Database, which is the main tool on which all visa applicants' details are stored. In the Budget Statement in May 2009 DIAC earmarked some $24 million for sorting their computer systems out in the program year 2009/10. When we met Mr Wilden in London on 30th November 2009, he said that "improvements" being planned to the DIAC computer systems would bring huge benefits to applicants. The e-visa Newsletter on the Panel Doctors Gateway claims that e-Health will do so. Apparently e-Health will mean that within 48 hours of seeing a Panel Doctor and x-ray clinic in the UK, your family's meds can be cleared at the Health Operations Centre in Sydney. The fact that you may have a very long journey to get to people in the UK who can do the visa meds and it may take a number of weeks before it is possible to get in to see the few is not mentioned anywhere, nor is the fact that it will cost a lot of people a hell of a lot of money to get to the places which can do the visa meds as of next week. Personally I'd call the present situation a SNAFU which is absolutely typical of DIAC. I would NOT call it an "improvement" but I guess it depends on one's use of semantics. I intend to make a big fuss to Mr Wilden about this later today. I will publish his reply on here when I get it. Meanwhile, thanks very much Mylady for bringing this to everyone's attention. You will see that I have made the thread sticky and have moved it to the top of Migration Issues because this new situation will take a long time to settle down, I suspect. Dr Goodall is the Panel Doctor in Southampton and I have been to his surgery a couple of times, once with my mother because he was the nearest Panel Doctor and once with a deaf visa applicant last year who needed to be exempted from parts of the IELTS. Dr Goodall is an Aussie who married an English girl some years ago - he must be around 60 now I should think. He knows a huge amount about Australia and is interested in why different people choose different parts of Oz etc. He is a sole practitioner and most of the time he is an ordinary NHS GP. The catchment around his surgery probably doesn't create too many private patients but the Panel Doctoring would make up for that financially and Dr Goodall is interested in doing it because of his interest in all things Aussie. I wouldn't think that he or the BUPA Hospital are happy people this week. Cheers Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevenson Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Yeah, Glasgow is off the list, but not too bad as Edinburgh is going to remain, so the travel is not to far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MouseBear Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 I wonder why they have done this?? Bit like the VETESSE news about them not coming over in February - is it to slow the completion of applications down??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kerrya Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 My partner did all his medicals etc late last year and we're hoping to apply for the visa this month. Does that mean he'll have to re-do all his?? As it's sooooo expensive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MouseBear Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Depends what visa he has applied for and what his profession is as to the length of time you'll be waiting (and an element of luck is always good to have around ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rachbarlow Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Do not assume it is easy to get into the UK. You have never tried it as a foreigner. Humm. I'm not going to get into a debate, that is my opinion, and I only have to look around myself and the state of the country and work situation!!!! I am sorry about your nephew, I do have a friend from oz who wants to stay. She has skills money etc the UK are not interested. She is only allowed to visit her OH for months at a time, who lives and works here and is an auzzie. What I am saying is if you have very little to offer the UK, the UK snaps you up. I agree with oz and its tight system to an extent, but when you do have skills, money etc to offer a country and constantly hit hurdles and get knocked back, and your life messed with, that is when it is not fair. Personally I'd call the present situation a SNAFU which is absolutely typical of DIAC. I would NOT call it an "improvement" but I guess it depends on one's use of semantics. I intend to make a big fuss to Mr Wilden about this later today. I will publish his reply on here when I get it. To be honest Gill, I am not surprise at anything the DIAC does anymore. I'm am currently unshockable!!!!! :shocked: They are a law unto themselves!!! The other thing that worries me is if there is less competition out there, I hope that the price of meds don't rocket............. I appreciate you contacting Mr Wilden. As always Gill I thankyou for your continuing support and dedication to the PIO troops!!! Rach xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Yeah, Glasgow is off the list, but not too bad as Edinburgh is going to remain, so the travel is not to far. Hi Stevenson Are you sure that you have the names of the Scottish cities the right way around? According to the Panel Doctor's list, Dr Helen Bryden in Glasgow can do e-Health medicals. I shouldn't think she will give up Panel Doctoring easily because she used to be a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth in the UK before DIAC centralised the function in Sydney and from what I can gather from her website, Dr Bryden isn't an ordinary NHS GP at all? Cheers Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmylife Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 I intend to make a big fuss to Mr Wilden about this later today. I will publish his reply on here when I get it. Thanks Gill for looking into this for us all Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 I wonder why they have done this?? Bit like the VETESSE news about them not coming over in February - is it to slow the completion of applications down??? Hi Mousebear As far as I can tell, complete chaos in the UK has been caused in the name of "efficiency." Whose efficiency is anyone's guess.... It is deplorable that DIAC's PR machine is so useless that there is no proper information about the changes on the Australia House London website and the doctors and x-ray clinics seem to be bewildered by it all as well. I've sent David Wilden a link to this thread and I have asked him to find out what is going on? I have made the point that people do not expect to be kept waiting for weeks for their meds (neither do their COs) and they do not expect to have to travel for miles at vast expense either. I suspect that David Wilden needs to take personal charge pf DIAC's latest SNAFU in the UK and see to it that choice and speed of access are maintained, if necessary at the expense of the e-Health rubbish until the e-Health rubbish is properly cooked so that enough doctors and x-ray clinics are using it instead of only a handful - if my theory is right that e-Health lies at the heart of this week's new nonsense. I've no idea whether my theory is right because of the Trappist Silence on the subject from DIAC's PR machine, predictably. Cheers Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr luvpants Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Gill I contacted a centre that has the e health sign next to its name on the list and they said that they are no longer doing medicals after Friday.The only one I could find in my "area" was the one at Heathrow. JOHN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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