New changes affecting panel doctors,important

[les-babs1315@hotmail.com]

HI guys we went to John St they were all really nice staff dont feel scared youll be fine good luck and take care Andrea&family :hug:

 

Hi all

Had our medicals done at St John st, Manchester, by Dr Brendon Smith yesterday 20th Feb, The staff and Doctor were very good made us feel totaly relaxed about the medicals,and explained everthing to us as we were having them done.

Must admit it was the best medical I have had in years and well worth the money.

 

Good luck to every one

 

Les

[Guest Jules 2706]

This is my first post and having read the thread, I've found it really useful and thought I'd add my own experience. At the moment I'm finding the visa process very stressful - I think it's because we're getting to the final stage and we're just waiting on a doctor's decision that is totally out of our hands.

 

My partner and I had our medicals done in London at the Cromwell Hospital Bupa clinic on 14th December. The doctor made the process quite stressful and we weren't happy with the service we received. We were also not given a tracking number as the doctor was going on holiday over Christmas so we had an anxious wait to see if the medicals were received. The doctor called my partner a few days after the medicals but he missed the call and so went out of the office to call him back but the doctor couldn't remember why he'd called him so said he'd ring in 10 minutes. Can you imagine the worry and anxiety that that caused, knowing the type of tests we'd had done?! By the time he received a call back, I don't think he was thinking straight and I am really cross at the way it was handled. It seems we just paid rather a lot of money for rather a lot of unnecessary anxiety!

 

By logging on to check the status of our application, we found out that my medicals were received and finalised on 9th Jan but not my partner's. His were received on 14th Jan but his medicals still say outstanding rather than finalised.

 

We have an agent so we called him on Friday and he said that if there was something that they needed to check (my partner's radiologist report said he had a calcific focus probably on his rib - what the doctor had called him about) then it could take a couple of months for us to have any news on whether they require further tests or whether the medicals are passed. We will be really cross if further tests are required as we took the radiologist report to his GP and she laughed at it - there is absolutely nothing to worry about - (lots of people have them from sports injuries) but we are starting to get cross with the lack of information and the way it is assumed that we can just keep stumping up more money.

 

If my partner does have to do any further tests, I wonder where we'll have to go to get them done if Cromwell Hospital isn't now on the list of approved doctors? Has anyone tried to book with them recently?

 

Thanks for any help or advice anyone has.

 

My timeline is: Visa application lodged 10th August 09, IELTS added 25th Aug 09, CO allocated 30th Nov 09, Meds and police checks req'd 1st Dec 09, Police checks received 18th Dec 09, Medicals taken 14th Dec 09, Medicals couriered 18th Dec 09, my medicals finalised 9th Jan 10, waiting for a decision on my partner's 14th Jan 10....

[Middlecat]

Hi,

 

you have to also have the hepatitis tests if you have tatoos.

 

thanks,

 

dean

[Guest Jules 2706]

I checked the Panel Doctor page on the government website this evening and it looks like it has been updated. The hospital we went to for our medicals - The Cromwell in London - is no longer listed. Guess we might have to go to another doctor if we need to do further tests....

[Guest austibeach]

No, Tavistock doesn't have a panel doctor anymore. They initially send me from Nuffield (plymouth, as used to be on list panel doctors DIAC) to Stannary (Tavistock), Stannary then send me back to plymouth, they confirmed they have stopped the service as per 19th of jan 2010. Barnstable still does x-rays (manual processing only) and is on DIACs list.

 

It looks like DIAC is in the process of updating as we speak....yesterday afternoon Brentwood was suddenly added to our list for ehealth application surgeries.....this am Dublin has disappeared from this list!!!

To be clear, the list of clinics available to us for eHEALTH applications appears when LOGGED IN to visa status enquiry page and further to the online health page. It reads:

'Select your preferred radiological clinic, from the list of available clinics in your area, to consult for your chest x-ray examination'

Not that these clinics are in our area.......all over 200 miles away!!!

 

I have just checked the new list and it would appear that the Manor Surgery in Redruth may well be the nearest for you now koeieboei. Redruth would suit us possibly, or even Taunton which is listed. Barnstaple is still listed for X-rays and as we seem to spend considerable amounts of time in Barnstaple Hospital already, then that would be ideal for us.

I'm sure DIAC have their reasons for everything that they do, it's just that they never seem obvious to me, nor do they make my life and our application any easier.

 

Eric.

[Guest haggisboy]

Hi there I spoke to a lovely lady called Ruth from the Norwich surgery today and she has told me most centres do not know what is happening she said some of the surgeries had been stopped from the 16th Jan and that some more were being stopped on the 29th Jan but as far as she was aware nobody actually knew which ones were being kept open. cheers ross

[Guest rachbarlow]

she has told me most centres do not know what is happening she said some of the surgeries had been stopped from the 16th Jan and that some more were being stopped on the 29th Jan but as far as she was aware nobody actually knew which ones were being kept open.

 

Good olde DIAC!! Not surprising informative as always!!:daydreaming:

[Guest angiem75]

I just called HOC again (I know I'm the most impatient person in the world lol) :biglaugh:

 

They told me they are currently processing meds recieved on the 11/01/2010, thats me!!!!

 

Not long now I hope x

[Guest WJK]

The north of England list has definitely been updated as there was one in Huddersfield and it's gone. We are booked in with Dr Million in Manchester on 2nd February and they said they are definitely still doing medicals and are on what seems to be an updated list to me.

 

Dr Million is a great guy makes you feel at ease and is great with the kids

 

WJK

[Guest angiem75]

My on line status has changed from meds recieved to meds referred yesterday!!

 

Anyone know what that means???? Please help I'm getting worried now:eek:

[Guest Gollywobbler]

My on line status has changed from meds recieved to meds referred yesterday!!

 

Anyone know what that means???? Please help I'm getting worried now:eek:

 

Hi Angiem

 

"Referred" means that the Meds file has been sent upstairs to the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC) doctors.

 

Whose meds have been referred and can you think of a reason why it should happen?

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[Guest angiem75]

Thanks for the reply Gill

 

I had brain Haemorrhage due to Aneurysm last year, sounds bad, but made complete recovery with surgery. Had follow up tests all ok, back at work and driving again now. Panel doc said will be ok, hope he's right!!!

[Guest Gollywobbler]

Thanks for the reply Gill

 

I had brain Haemorrhage due to Aneurysm last year, sounds bad, but made complete recovery with surgery. Had follow up tests all ok, back at work and driving again now. Panel doc said will be ok, hope he's right!!!

 

Hi Angiem

 

You have identified the reason why the meds have been referred to an MOC doctor. No clerk can decide about that condition on his/her own any more than I could. Like most people, I've vaguely heard of aneurisms and I know a lady who also had one in her brain. Apparently she nearly died at the time but she seems fine now.

 

The Panel Doctor says that it will be OK and I would trust the Panel Doctor. He or she is a medic, for a start, which I'm not.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[RonnieRocket0]

Good evening all. I just thought I would stick a post to this thread as I spoke to my panel doctor on Friday afternoon to thank him for his help. During the conversation I asked if he had been affected by the upcoming changes and he informed me that his last patients were this coming friday. He went on to add that it was not so much DIAC 'picking and choosing' hospitals etc.. But more along the lines of hospitals not feeling too happy about sending patients details electronically and the issue of security.

As his hospital was not happy with the new arrangement, they decided that they would withdraw thier services for meds.

It seems to be a bit of a strange one. Personally I would not have worried as my whole application was completed electronically, so perhaps it is a time saving way. One wonders if there is some underlying motive?? Perhaps the HOC is trying to generate more funds to charge the panel doctors to have a license for some unique software application for this service? It would be interesting to see if meds generally increase.

Anyway, I thought I would share this information with fellow PIO'ers.

Good luck

 

Ron R

[Guest andy crawley]

where are the panel doctors going to be????

[Metoo]

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:

 

sorry not going to read 14 plus pages of posts but the list has changed, Northampton and Stoke have already dropped off, are DIAC just being ars**oles for the sake of it.

[Guest Gollywobbler]

Hi All

 

I had an e-mail from David Wilden ths morning. He had sent an e-mail on 14th January and was wondering why I had not published it. He sent another copy today. Maybe DIAC's computer didn't send the earlier e-mail or maybe I had binned it without noticing the sender - either could have happened because I get tons of junk e-mails every day and tons more automatic ones from the PiO website. I just bin both types of junk every day.

 

Anyhow - I had not seen Mr Wilden's e-mail till today. Because it is some days old, considering that he sent it on 14th January, some of the stuff in it is now out of date but no matter.

 

The Australian Government says as follows:

 

Hi Gill

 

Happy New Year to you and Poms in Oz members. I must say a big thank you for turning on the snow for us - it's a new and thoroughly enjoyable experience.

 

As the thread (which I have reviewed) noted, the DIAC website has stated for some time that a review of panel doctor arrangements has been underway. We had our Chief Medical Officer in the UK with some staff in November doing a comprehensive review of the current arrangements and they have made decisions on changes to the UK panel doctor arrangements. These changes will come into operation from next week and the DIAC website will be updated on 15 January setting out the changes.

 

 

 

 

The UK and Ireland Panel Doctor review took into account the following considerations:

 

• Capacity or potential capacity for operation as a combined (both X-ray and medical) clinic;
  
• Digital capacity and eHealth2 compatibility;
  
• Geographical and client accessibility considerations (with more than 95% of clients being within 90 miles of a clinic under the proposed new network - which is less than two hours travel);
  
• Ability to manage client volume (offering appointments within a reasonable timeframe) and absorb additional volume;
  
• Client service;
  
• Clinic facilities; and
  
• Integrity issues.
  

All current Panel doctors have been advised of the changes and are not taking appointments for clients after 15 January 2010 unless they are one of the 15 that appear on the transitional list (which will be published on the website on the 15th). Further refinements will be made over the following 6 months with the final list in place by mid year.

 

In terms of some of the postings of the thread, I can confirm that there is no relationship between panel doctor arrangements and the size of the migration program or the speed of processing.

 

kind regards

 

David Wilden

Minister - Counsellor (Immigration)

Regional Director Europe

 

 

 

Today is January 26th and I have downloaded DIAC's updated Lists today. For the UK and for the Republic of Ireland, they are below:

 

United Kingdom – Panel Doctors

 

Republic of Ireland - Panel Doctors

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[George Lombard]

In addition to the changes in the UK there are also some changes in processing arrangements for medicals in Australia, as follows:

 

From 1 February 2010 Health Services Australia (HSA) will

begin trading as Medibank Health Solutions

 

 

 

HSA will begin trading under the new name Medibank Health Solutions from Monday 1 February 2010.

 

 

There will be no increase in the number of locations. Only the 13 current locations of

HSA offices will continue offering immigration services.

 

 

A new website for Medibank Health Solutions will be available.

See: Medibank Health Solutions - Site coming soon

 

 

Changes to departmental forms and relevant IT systems will not take place immediately.

Therefore, current forms will be able to be used and will be accepted by Medibank

Health Solutions until they are able to be changed.

 

 

You should contact the Health Policy area with any further questions about these changes.

See: Agent Enquiry and Feedback form at Agent Enquiry and Feedback

[itsmylife]

I went for my medical today, just in time it seems as the panel doctor I used today has been told that as of Friday that they are to no longer do medicals. He said that he was told all the medical services were being centralised and that he was led to believe that "centralised" for Northern Ireland means going to the South of Ireland to Dublin. Hardly centralised.

 

Thanks again to the OP who made me aware of this whole issue which enabled me to go ahead with my medical in a place that was reasonably easy for me to travel to and definitely less costly (euro to pound exchange rate is always a killer for us, for example IELTs in Northern Ireland costs £105, Dublin costs £165...).

[Guest andy crawley]

hi all, called to see costs of meds in brum... £260 adults all in, 11 year olds are £110 only have to do xray and gen meds, NO blood tests, and under 11 are £50.00 gen health check .... there are to listed on diac web site only one is now on diac list

Andy

[Guest Gollywobbler]

I went for my medical today, just in time it seems as the panel doctor I used today has been told that as of Friday that they are to no longer do medicals. He said that he was told all the medical services were being centralised and that he was led to believe that "centralised" for Northern Ireland means going to the South of Ireland to Dublin. Hardly centralised.

 

Thanks again to the OP who made me aware of this whole issue which enabled me to go ahead with my medical in a place that was reasonably easy for me to travel to and definitely less costly (euro to pound exchange rate is always a killer for us, for example IELTs in Northern Ireland costs £105, Dublin costs £165...).

 

Hi there

 

Cost doesn't come into anything according to the Australian Govt. They don't claim that affordability was any part of the review.

 

As a matter of interest, how far did you ave to travel (in miles) to reach the clinic etc in Nothern Ireland and how long did it take you? How far is it and how long would it have taken you to get to Dublin instead?

 

He said that he was told all the medical services were being centralised and that he was led to believe that "centralised" for Northern Ireland means going to the South of Ireland to Dublin. Hardly centralised.

 

 

"Centralised" to a different country with a different currency is a good one, I have to agree! I agree with your Panel Doctor. Apparently the whole of the UK mainland will be "centralised" to no more than 15 one stop shop clinics, so DIAC have finally said.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[Guest Gollywobbler]

hi all, called to see costs of meds in brum... £260 adults all in, 11 year olds are £110 only have to do xray and gen meds, NO blood tests, and under 11 are £50.00 gen health check .... there are to listed on diac web site only one is now on diac list

Andy

 

Hi Andy

 

How far is it from Leicester to Brum, please? From your house to wherever the remaining surgery in Brum will be, how long will it take you to get from your house to the one stop shop surgery if you are told to be there by no later than 9.30am?

 

Thanks

 

Gill

[itsmylife]

As a matter of interest, how far did you ave to travel (in miles) to reach the clinic etc in Nothern Ireland and how long did it take you? How far is it and how long would it have taken you to get to Dublin instead?

 

 

Hi Gill

 

As we don't have a car we are always going to be a bit more inconvenienced than the average person, but if we were to drive to our panel dr that we went to today it would take 45 minutes, to Dublin it would be at least 2 1/2 hours - then got to factor in actually finding the clinic and if in the middle of Dublin the traffic can be a complete nightmare... compared to traveling 15 minutes up the road to what was our local panel doctor 3 weeks ago. For people who live in the Northern areas of Northern Ireland they could easily add on another 1 1/2 hours to that journey if they had to go to Dublin.

 

Quite often journeys of that distance will mean an overnight stay, so that cost would need to be added in too.

 

I seriously hope that they do not change it to Dublin, but as I said the panel doctor today believed that was the case.

 

 

Angela

[Guest andy crawley]

hi gill,

we are only 40 min drive or 35 miles so not to bad for us, we did are first lot of meds in nottingham last march.. front loaded!! so was just trying to find out the costs to see if they have gone up due to there are not as many around now due to changes

Andy

[Guest rachbarlow]

For us now it would be about 1hr- 1 1/2hr, depending on the traffic in Manchester and finding it, then you have to find a place to park (don't know the arrangements). Before these silly changes making people's life even harder, for us it was 15 mins up the road before, and we could have park right outside the centre, no cost to park.

 

It was simple........... now it just seems to be another grinding task to add to the forever expanding list!!! This process was fun to start with, but I have drastically changed my mind!!! Oh the joy of emigrating!!!!!!!