Brexit and its implications for British, HU and any other citizens

I've just done the deed and as she doesn't have a vote here, and she cares much more than I do, I gave my wife my vote, it will leave a bad taste in my mouth, but it's done.  Particularly galling when I switch on my PC and this pops up in my mailbox.Not sure about this supermajority, when Johnson won the last election, he had a majority of 80 and could have done the same, the problem was they didn't agree much about anything except being called a Tory.        -@Cynic

I simply don't believe Starmer.  I reckon he's just talking up his Brexit credentials to satisfy the Brexiteers just for today.  He'll go the other way during the EU reset.  Perhaps not this coming parliament but maybe the next one, we'll get a proper referendum where expats can vote us back in. That's assuming we're not all Putinistas speaking Russian and marching around like fascists or it's a wasteland of nuclear fallout.

Super majority is a bane here. Orban had the same and he had the power to change the constitution. It's not a good situation but he does pretend to be a democrat to have referendums which he inevitably fails in but he spins them the other way.

BTW,   I was watching CNN or something with the auto-generated subtitles and Sir Kier Starmer came out as Circus Tamer.   What's not to like!?  AI perhaps knows more than us.

Came through Dover earlier today and what a mess. Heavy queues for passports and only 2 French passport checkers for cars. Signs say large scale building work is ongoing for EES. We got our ferry with just minutes to spare. At least 45m queueing. Just time wasted for us. Another Brexit success for BoJo.

@fluffy2560

Which direction?

Into the EU.

Going to the UK from EU was seamless other than multiple border checks.

First it was Frontex, then UK and then French Customs and once in Dover, UK Customs.

BTW, fuel is cheaper in the UK than Germany or France. Cheapest is Luxembourg. Motorway fuel could be as much as Euro 2.10 per litre.

Just made the trip both ways (Hull/Rotterdam and back), no problems either way.

    Just made the trip both ways (Hull/Rotterdam and back), no problems either way.        -@Cynic

It's not the same scale of operations at Hull/Rotterdam.  The Dover to Calais ferry lower deck was maybe 25% empty. All the queueing was for French passport checks.

Discount fuel stop around Nuremberg was 1.79 Euro for E10/95.  Directly on the Autobahn, we saw 2.30 Euro for same..outrageous!

   
    Just made the trip both ways (Hull/Rotterdam and back), no problems either way.        -@Cynic

It's not the same scale of operations at Hull/Rotherham.  The Dover to Calais ferry lower deck was maybe 25% empty. All the queueing was for French passport checks.

Discount fuel stop around Nuremberg was 1.79 Euro for E10/95.  Directly on the Autobahn, we saw 2.30 Euro for same..outrageous!
   

    -@fluffy2560

Quite, there is also the manning issue; having worked at all of these ports (albeit some time ago now) it's almost as if the French deliberately under-staff their end, they show no interest in controlling what they are doing.  Hull this morning was a perfect example of how to offload a ship, and they lost the quarter ramp last night, so had to bring everything down the ship's internal ramps to offload over the stern-ramp.

Quite, there is also the manning issue; having worked at all of these ports (albeit some time ago now) it's almost as if the French deliberately under-staff their end, they show no interest in controlling what they are doing.  Hull this morning was a perfect example of how to offload a ship, and they lost the quarter ramp last night, so had to bring everything down the ship's internal ramps to offload over the stern-ramp.
   

    -@Cynic

They seemed to not care about the mess they were  causing but in fairness to them, many lanes were closed because of the EES building work. I think Dover Port has suspended work on it due to uncertainty over its implementation.

Austrian E10/95 149.9 euro.  That's 30ct cheaper than DE.

    Quite, there is also the manning issue; having worked at all of these ports (albeit some time ago now) it's almost as if the French deliberately under-staff their end, they show no interest in controlling what they are doing.  Hull this morning was a perfect example of how to offload a ship, and they lost the quarter ramp last night, so had to bring everything down the ship's internal ramps to offload over the stern-ramp.        -@Cynic

They seemed to not care about the mess they were  causing but in fairness to them, many lanes were closed because of the EES building work. I think Dover Port has suspended work on it due to uncertainty over its implementation.

Austrian E10/95 149.9 euro.  That's 30ct cheaper than DE.
   

    -@fluffy2560

We always stay near where we lived in Holland which is on the German border; we tend to fill up in Germany when there as it's much cheaper than Holland these days, which was not always the case.

We just paid 150.4 Euro/litre at  an Aldi petrol station near Vienna. 

Jet is the cheapest station.

It's about the same price in Hungary so there's no monetary advantage to filling up.

Last time I was in NL, it was very expensive to buy fuel so we've avoided going for some years. Shame as I like there. Mrs Fluffy is a real fan of the place.

Nothing new or even new dates as we have known about this for a while but its been all over the UK media today. I am amazed that people are still unaware of this. Have they been sleeping?

UK citizens will need to pay a €7 visa-waiver charge to travel to Europe from next year after the EU revealed its timeline for the introduction of new entry requirements for some visitors.

The additional charge, which is similar to the US ESTA, is part of a series of new border checks and entry requirements the EU is bringing in.

They'll apply when entering the Schengen area, which includes 27 EU member states, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

The waiver will last for three years or until your passport expires.

Its official title is the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), and its implementation will follow the introduction of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). The latter will require people to have their fingerprints registered and their pictures taken on arrival to airports.

Addressing the rollout, EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson said the EES will enter into operations on ­10 November while the ETIAS will follow shortly after that in 2025 - likely May.

The UK has known about it ever since it was first raised in the EU (they were part of the formation group).  I think the difference now is that it has been put off several times by the EU for varying reasons, but they now appear to have something that works well enough for all the member states to endorse it; let's see how it goes.

I don't care about it, it can happen tomorrow or next year. It won't cost me a cent or any paperwork as we are all exempt.

    Nothing new or even new dates as we have known about this for a while but its been all over the UK media today. I am amazed that people are still unaware of this. Have they been sleeping?
UK citizens will need to pay a €7 visa-waiver charge to travel to Europe from next year after the EU revealed its timeline for the introduction of new entry requirements for some visitors.
.....
Addressing the rollout, EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson said the EES will enter into operations on ­10 November while the ETIAS will follow shortly after that in 2025 - likely May.
   

    -@SimCityAT

People don't know because people only check their passports and documents etc when they are about to leave for their holidays on the Costa Bravo.   They are bonkers. I have scans of everyone's passport and I have reminders set up in a calendar on the laptop for 6 months before renewal date.

On, EES, it's not clear if those with RPs should queue up at the EU window or the non-EU one.   Or there's no difference? Or there's a visa-exempt queue?  And they check the receipt or it's just a QR code and it's scanned at an automatic barrier.  I dunno, it's a mystery what it will look like on the day. 

I expect it's the non-EU queue as fundamentally that's national competence. 

I was surprised in France on exit, it was EU Frontex checking passports, not the actual Gendarmes.

One thing which is odd in Dover is that there's a queueing system to get on to the port.   The left hand lane is for HGVs.  Cop stopped us at the roundabout saying the lane was only for HGVs. I said, there are no signs for that and he said there were signs all along.  Absolutely there were no signs I could see.   There were traffic management people in hi-vis jackets but they were just standing around talking to each other.

Anyway, what would he do about it?  I was driving a Hungarian car, there's no way to fine a foreign registered driver now.  I learnt that - I probably already said -  when I got caught accidentally speeding in the UK and had to give my licence details which I did.   And I admitted the offence and was prepared to pay.  They just said, OK, forget it - no way to record the offence or add some points.   There's no exchange of information now. Yet another Brexit benefit.

People don't know because people only check their passports and documents etc when they are about to leave for their holidays on the Costa Bravo.   They are bonkers. I have scans of everyone's passport and I have reminders set up in a calendar on the laptop for 6 months before renewal date.



    -@fluffy2560

People should know about it, because it was voted in 2016, and its been in the news since 2021 constantly.

People should know about it, because it was voted in 2016, and its been in the news since 2021 constantly.
   

    -@SimCityAT

2016 is quite a long time ago. 

And besides Tracey from Skelmersdale who works in the widget factory isn't going to watch the news.

My ex-MIL had never been out of Lancashire until she was about 65.

Driving Licence:

I got a message from the HU government my HU DL was about to become invalid. 

I didn't notice but there's two expiry dates on a HU DL.

One is 4(b) on the front of DL and the others are different dates on the back of the licence for the various categories of vehicle.  4(a) is the start date.   The former seems to be about my photo and the other dates, I don't know why.

Being 64 now, my HU DL is only valid 2 years without a medical check.   So yesterday I went to the usual medical check for the DL.  It was cursory at best.  Basically a blood pressure check - I checked it at home before anyway, so it was fine.   Previously they'd checked my eyesight but they just said, oh, glasses, fine.  They issued me a medical paper after inspecting my Foreigners ID card, my address card and the current DL.

Now I have to go to the Kormanyablak to be issued a paper that allows me to drive while a new DL is being prepared. 

Only two years validity so in 2026, I'll be back there again doing the same thing and then every year as I'll be over 65 and have to do it each year.

This is all partially a Brexit benefit.  If we British were still EU, my UK licence would be valid until I was 70, so no benefit there.

I do have one advantage with a HU licence, I can skip over needing pointless DVLA (US: DMV) codes required to hire a car in the UK.   This is the actual Brexit benefit.  Who'd have thought it?!

    Driving Licence:

I do have one advantage with a HU licence, I can skip over needing pointless DVLA (US: DMV) codes required to hire a car in the UK.   This is the actual Brexit benefit.  Who'd have thought it?!
   

    -@fluffy2560

I was told that I needed that pointless form in Spain (Majorca) when I hired a car, that was before Brexit.  Whether the young lady who I handed it too had a clue what she was looking for is another matter.  A case of looking at it from all sides and angles, shrugging, then handing it back to me.  In fact, just checked, I still have it in my travel documents folder (don't know why I kept it).

        Driving Licence:I do have one advantage with a HU licence, I can skip over needing pointless DVLA (US: DMV) codes required to hire a car in the UK.   This is the actual Brexit benefit.  Who'd have thought it?!        -@fluffy2560

I was told that I needed that pointless form in Spain (Majorca) when I hired a car, that was before Brexit.  Whether the young lady who I handed it too had a clue what she was looking for is another matter.  A case of looking at it from all sides and angles, shrugging, then handing it back to me.  In fact, just checked, I still have it in my travel documents folder (don't know why I kept it).
   

    -@Cynic

Yes, makes no sense one needs these codes in the UK when anyone with a foreign licence can just skip over that part.   That was the case before Brexit too.

I am hiring a car next week at Gatwick and the rental company (Avis) app on my smartphone linked me into verification of my ID - I used my passport.  I have previously rented cars with Hertz, Sixt, Enterprise etc and I wasn't asked this at all.  It's new functionality. I do have concerns about what they do with my passport data.  Remember the No-ID campaign?  Back to that again.   

I've actually got two licences - one from Hungary and another one from a Pacific island.  I've never tried to use the Pacific one anywhere. No-one asked me to show it.  Not even on the Pacific island itself when I rented a car there!  I queued up for 30m and paid $5 to receive the island licence.

I know someone with a NZ licence,  a UK one and also one in Welsh!  All of them valid!

I have to renew my licence at the end of the year (age 70).  Tried to do it online, nope, computer said no.  Apparently it's because I have HGV and Bus on my licence, it can only be done via the D2 paper route (D1 is for the lesser beings who only have a car entitlement), and I'm almost encouraged to hand in those entitlements otherwise there are medical requirements (not cheap in the UK, even with mates rates).  It's not as if I've driven either class of vehicle in over 30 years, so it's no big deal and moaning to DVLA is pointless, so I guess I shall have to accept demotion to being a D1 guy.

    I have to renew my licence at the end of the year (age 70).  Tried to do it online, nope, computer said no.  Apparently it's because I have HGV and Bus on my licence, it can only be done via the D2 paper route (D1 is for the lesser beings who only have a car entitlement), and I'm almost encouraged to hand in those entitlements otherwise there are medical requirements (not cheap in the UK, even with mates rates).  It's not as if I've driven either class of vehicle in over 30 years, so it's no big deal and moaning to DVLA is pointless, so I guess I shall have to accept demotion to being a D1 guy.        -@Cynic

I'm in the same position somewhat but the local HU interpretation of D1 etc.  If I didn't push it enough, I'd lose my small truck and bus entitlements every 2 years.  I've not driven either of those classes for years but I could do it and I don't like being demoted because of some bureaucratic rule and over caution.

I also have the ongoing Brexit resentment that a Brexit disadvantage pushed on me - i.e. a HU licence.   

That said, the cost of the medical paper is low and statutory. I paid 3K HUF (7.60 EUR) for the paperwork.  If I was of retirement age, it would have been half that.  It's not really the cost, it's the hassle. 

Now I have to take the paperwork to the government office (HU: kormanyablak), get a temporary licence and wait for the new version to arrive by post.   Always bad timing for me due to regular travel.   I could do it online as the medical certificates are all online but my photo is on the edge of being out of date so it looks like in person only.

One upside of the HU licence and Brexit is apparently a superpower of being able to get out of speeding fines.  UK doesn't cooperate with the EU on DL points etc.  Not that I speed all the time but I was caught by a camera near Oxford last year.  I expected to pay a fine and get points but they just cancelled it.  No mechanism to enforce it. 

    I have to renew my licence at the end of the year (age 70).  Tried to do it online, nope, computer said no.  Apparently it's because I have HGV and Bus on my licence, it can only be done via the D2 paper route (D1 is for the lesser beings who only have a car entitlement), and I'm almost encouraged to hand in those entitlements otherwise there are medical requirements (not cheap in the UK, even with mates rates).  It's not as if I've driven either class of vehicle in over 30 years, so it's no big deal and moaning to DVLA is pointless, so I guess I shall have to accept demotion to being a D1 guy.
   

    -@Cynic

I was at the government office to renew my DL.  Cost was 4000 HUF. 

It would have been cheaper if I had done it online and I was over retirement age (HUF 1500). 

To renew I needed my official address card, foreigners ID card and the medical certificate.   They used my current ID card picture for the DL.

Takes up to 2 weeks but should be faster in reality.

Most importantly, I retained all my entitlements.

        I have to renew my licence at the end of the year (age 70).  Tried to do it online, nope, computer said no.  Apparently it's because I have HGV and Bus on my licence, it can only be done via the D2 paper route (D1 is for the lesser beings who only have a car entitlement), and I'm almost encouraged to hand in those entitlements otherwise there are medical requirements (not cheap in the UK, even with mates rates).  It's not as if I've driven either class of vehicle in over 30 years, so it's no big deal and moaning to DVLA is pointless, so I guess I shall have to accept demotion to being a D1 guy.        -@CynicI was at the government office to renew my DL.  Cost was 4000 HUF.  It would have been cheaper if I had done it online and I was over retirement age (HUF 1500).  To renew I needed my official address card, foreigners ID card and the medical certificate.   They used my current ID card picture for the DL.Takes up to 2 weeks but should be faster in reality.Most importantly, I retained all my entitlements.         -@fluffy2560

I renewed mine last week having reached the grand old age of 70 in a few months.  I have (had) car, motorcycle, HGV, trailer and coach/bus entitlement, but was given an option of surrendering all except my car licence and then get a free renewal with no medical; had I wanted to keep any of the others, I would have needed to go to my GP and pass a medical (and pay for it).  Interesting fact, I am tecnically now without a licence until my new one arrives, UK law does not permit any resident to hold more than one driving licence, which is an interesting Expat fact.

I should add, it was a different URL to renew my licence at 70, which is apparently the reason why I got kicked back.  Also, DVLA were surprisingly easy to speak to on the phone and extremely helpful.  My wife (EU citizen) needed to renew her licence and of course her name on her passport is her official Dutch name and not the one she is known by (her roep naam), but DVLA were aware of that and it was no problem.

News from Dover:

Armed French police to get new powers at Dover to enforce EU e-border scheme with Brits fingerprinted

Not keen on the idea of armed foreign police with arrest powers hanging about in Dover.

Reminds me of the hidden Chinese police stations being established in various places and also joint patrols in HU with CN police.

I forgot to mention. I was without my driving licence for only a few days; the new one arrived in the next post. So, that's four days to renew my passport and two for my new driving licence. My MRI scan with the NHS took two days from my GP referral to my getting the scan, and then my GP called me back two days later to discuss it. Now, I guess all good things have to come to an end, the bad news is that the waiting list to see a consultant is at least two years.

With regards to the French Police, they've always been armed down at Dover, the difference is they can continue to carry weapons when they carry out these new duties under EES.  I'll stick to the Dutch ferry, no fuss up there.

I forgot to mention. I was without my driving licence for only a few days; the new one arrived in the next post. So, that's four days to renew my passport and two for my new driving licence. My MRI scan with the NHS took two days from my GP referral to my getting the scan, and then my GP called me back two days later to discuss it. Now, I guess all good things have to come to an end, the bad news is that the waiting list to see a consultant is at least two years.With regards to the French Police, they've always been armed down at Dover, the difference is they can continue to carry weapons when they carry out these new duties under EES. I'll stick to the Dutch ferry, no fuss up there. - @Cynic

You are doing well on the NHS referrals for investigation.  If you had a dread disease, you could be dead with 2 years with that time to see a consultant.  It's not good.  It's bad here but for possibly different reasons.  The health people look demoralised, fed up and underpaid.  It comes out as rudeness and short tempered help or even plain negligence by the indifferent.  Why go into medicine if one is indifferent? Money? 

Anyway, the patients are not happy either.  It's easy to blame the government and indeed the buck stops there.  Mostly people blame it on Orban's apparent corruption, Orban groupies and sycophants and general mismanagement/malfeasance. 

On the port at Dover, sure, both sets of cops are likely to be armed but the A20 is sovereign territory of the UK.   But now the French cops zones are being extended and can now operate up the A20 outside of the actual port. 

Seems like the area is being handed over to foreign armed police as a control zone.   Under what circumstances will they pull be able to pull out their weapons and shoot at someone on the A20?  What are their rules of engagement?

And are they going to engage UK citizens who happen to be in this new control zone but are just there for other purposes and are not port traffic?

It looks bad all around.  I expected better.  How about exempting UK citizens from EES and moreover, exempting EU citizens from the forthcoming UK's ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation)?

It's going to cost Mrs F £10 for that idea. They already know who is who by the API (Advance Passenger Information) both on ferries and aircraft.   Absolute waste of time duplicating what they already know.   

And it's not going to stop the boats either.  Something like 23K people made it so far this year.  Like they care about ETA or EES.

I will stick to flying and when my dad is no longer with us, I can't see myself visiting the UK ever again.

I will stick to flying and when my dad is no longer with us, I can't see myself visiting the UK ever again. - @SimCityAT

I'm a bit the same. But I do like going there as I've got one kid there still (ok, she's nearly 36, so not a kid for others, but always my kid).   I've also little reason to go as such but we'll have a funeral coming up probably if my BIL expires as he seems to be actively doing.  I am not sure if all of us should go or just me or maybe me and one of the kids.  It's all a bit expensive for the 4 of us here to go and stay plus getting someone to look after the dog and cat etc.

I might drive at least once or twice more before my official retirement date but like Cynic, I'd probably go on the Hull/Rotterdam overnight ferry and avoid Dover completely as I want to go to the North these days.   There will still be EES and ETA will be in operation.  Mrs F will be hit by ETA going into the UK and I'll have to queue for an EES exemption. That's presumably as no-one knows what those with RPs have to do. 

I will stick to flying and when my dad is no longer with us, I can't see myself visiting the UK ever again.  - @SimCityAT

I'm a bit the same. But I do like going there as I've got one kid there still (ok, she's nearly 36, so not a kid for others, but always my kid). I've also little reason to go as such but we'll have a funeral coming up probably if my BIL expires as he seems to be actively doing. I am not sure if all of us should go or just me or maybe me and one of the kids. It's all a bit expensive for the 4 of us here to go and stay plus getting someone to look after the dog and cat etc.

I might drive at least once or twice more before my official retirement date but like Cynic, I'd probably go on the Hull/Rotterdam overnight ferry and avoid Dover completely as I want to go to the North these days. There will still be EES and ETA will be in operation. Mrs F will be hit by ETA going into the UK and I'll have to queue for an EES exemption. That's presumably as no-one knows what those with RPs have to do. - @fluffy2560

One thing you could consider, when we go through Rotterdam on the P&O ferry, we go through the queue for EU citizens (Mrs C being a cloggy and she's driving, far be it from me to tell her how to drive in her own country), the KMar have never raised an eyebrow that there is a smelly Brit sat next to her, they just stamp my passport and wish me a Goeidag.

IDK anything about the UK NHS.

I have seen some documentaries about ti and I think it is better then here in Hungary.

I felt something was not right with my disgestion system 3 years ago.

Instead of waiting for an appointment and hours of sitting to see a gastro doctor with JAJ, we just shelled out about $400; to see a private doctor;

My BIL was in the same class with this guy, my husband knew him when they were children; Said they guy was always walking around with a book in his face, always reading, smart etc;

Now the guy is in his late 70s.

Nerdy but trustworthy, he also used to be the director of a hospital in Budapest.

He did a few exams on my husband over the years, I always said no way, no colon exam for me, too embarrassing and uncomfortable.

I went with my husband for the scope, he had to drag me there really.

He found cancer and was on it without skipping a beat. Did a biopsy, sent it to the lab and made calls for me to see some top doctors in his circle.

In the long run, if I had gone to a gastro doc within the TAJ system first, I might still be waiting for my biopsy results!

Sometimes one has to pay out of pocket, like it or not.

If I had been sent here and there with Taj, my staging might of been worst.

That would be TAJ system.

OH yes, my bother who had his leg amputated 6 months ago is still in rehab; Still has sepsis in his spine.

Living on anti biotics.

Well a couple weeks ago he was suppose to get an MRI to see how his infection is.An ambulance was suppose to pick him him up for his test and take him back to rehab.

They never showed up. His nurses called and cancelled his MRI and straight away the ambulance finally showed up. They however did not take him because he is not over age 65. No idea what that is about.

Last Friday was his BD and they finally took him for his MRI in the morning.

Seems like health care world wide is in bad shape.

He did say he had a good BD, his wife brought over sushi and fresh fruits, cake and stayed with him till late night in his bed cuddling. Cute, can not wait till he is free to leave and go home.

One thing you could consider, when we go through Rotterdam on the P&O ferry, we go through the queue for EU citizens (Mrs C being a cloggy and she's driving, far be it from me to tell her how to drive in her own country), the KMar have never raised an eyebrow that there is a smelly Brit sat next to her, they just stamp my passport and wish me a Goeidag. - @Cynic

It always seems to me at the borders, the border control officers do not look very carefully at the RPs that are issued elsewhere in the EU.  At Vienna airport, arriving from non-EU,  they just waved me through along with 50,000 others in the queue. At Dover, they didn't even scan the RP.  Here in Hungary, they always scan it and my passport.   I never go to the EU queue now regardless (Mrs F always comes with me) as the buggers here will send me - if alone - to the back of the queue.   

The automated gates apparently work with UK passports at Budapest airport but you have to go to the non-EU queue otherwise you could somehow get an invalid stamp in your passport. So you have to queue up at the manual check to show you don't need a stamp.   It's some confused logic - very dumb and antiquated.  It's really moronic.  They know who I am from my passport AND they know I have an RP because my data matches.  What's the point?   

It's an old story, but when Mrs F travelled alone outside of Hungary to the UK, the HU border people asked why she was going and of course, she said, "To see my boyfriend" and their response, "Couldn't you find a nice Hungarian?".     Mrs F wasn't one for confrontation back then so shrugged it off as just another HU official idiot like all the other ones encountered under communism.

Anyway, Starmer knows what he needs to do in his EU reset.   He's got a super majority and no-one is going to stop him passing border legislation to ensure we get an easier ride with the EU.   That buffoon Boris shafted us.

I realise that the Americans like Trump for the same reasons people liked Boris.  He appeals to them as a TV personality, not because of what he can do.  I don't think the same of Zelenskyy.  He's one seriously capable dude. There's also Reagan, obviously not the same mould as Trump but equally contentious for many.  He politically survived his film encounter with Bedtime for Bonzo.  It should have harmed him but I guess he was familiar to many from WW2 films.

@Marilyn Tassy

Every time I had my MRIs and X-rays were done on the same day in Austria. Where it was in the hospital or a clinic in town. I would wait 20 mins and have a hard copy on CD, and it would also be sent to my surgeon and a copy to my GP. All free, covered by my national health service.

But this is Austria and not the UK, which is in a complete mess when it comes to the NHS. So 2 days is pretty good going.

@Marilyn Tassy
Every time I had my MRIs and X-rays were done on the same day in Austria. Where it was in the hospital or a clinic in town. I would wait 20 mins and have a hard copy on CD, and it would also be sent to my surgeon and a copy to my GP. All free, covered by my national health service.

But this is Austria and not the UK, which is in a complete mess when it comes to the NHS. So 2 days is pretty good going. - @SimCityAT

That's lightning fast. 

I believe there's a problem in the UK that most medical records are stored at the GP's surgery and what is shared is regional or Trust based. So the healthcare picture is quite fragmented depending on where you go to hospital and where your GP is.

They also write a lot of letters which is daft as one needs to pick up the mail and open is letters.  That was totally unnecessary.  Just send it via the app.  My Dad had extensive treatment in hospital towards the end of his life. 

The only way we could access his online records is to pretend to be him.  He was incapable of giving permission.  We set up his NHS account so we could look at it.  We had no permission as I said but needs must.   I did try and get permission to look at his records officially but they wanted a picture of my Dad (who was unconscious) in his bed to match with his passport.  It was a degrading experience trying to prop him up in bed.  It just didn't work as he couldn't even open his eyes.  We tried it and we were rejected.  So we just continued pretending to be him until he passed.

@Marilyn Tassy
Every time I had my MRIs and X-rays were done on the same day in Austria. Where it was in the hospital or a clinic in town. I would wait 20 mins and have a hard copy on CD, and it would also be sent to my surgeon and a copy to my GP. All free, covered by my national health service.

But this is Austria and not the UK, which is in a complete mess when it comes to the NHS. So 2 days is pretty good going. - @SimCityAT

I get an appointment for a CT scan fairly fast here, They give the CD either the same day or 5 working days.

I wait about 10 days and walk into oncology and see the professor. No appointment needed to see him, all walk ins.

@Marilyn TassyEvery time I had my MRIs and X-rays were done on the same day in Austria. Where it was in the hospital or a clinic in town. I would wait 20 mins and have a hard copy on CD, and it would also be sent to my surgeon and a copy to my GP. All free, covered by my national health service. But this is Austria and not the UK, which is in a complete mess when it comes to the NHS. So 2 days is pretty good going. - @SimCityATThat's lightning fast. I believe there's a problem in the UK that most medical records are stored at the GP's surgery and what is shared is regional or Trust based. So the healthcare picture is quite fragmented depending on where you go to hospital and where your GP is. They also write a lot of letters which is daft as one needs to pick up the mail and open is letters. That was totally unnecessary. Just send it via the app. My Dad had extensive treatment in hospital towards the end of his life. The only way we could access his online records is to pretend to be him. He was incapable of giving permission. We set up his NHS account so we could look at it. We had no permission as I said but needs must. I did try and get permission to look at his records officially but they wanted a picture of my Dad (who was unconscious) in his bed to match with his passport. It was a degrading experience trying to prop him up in bed. It just didn't work as he couldn't even open his eyes. We tried it and we were rejected. So we just continued pretending to be him until he passed. - @fluffy2560

NHS records is a bit bizarre.  The practice I go to uses System One; having just checked, it's used by one third of GP practices in England and records information for around 44% of the population.  You also have to remember that the NHS in England is not the same NHS as is operating in Scotland, Wales and N Ireland.  System One integrates with the NHS app, so I sit here now and can see my MRI scan on my mobile phone, not that I understand it.  The interesting thing is it also includes my previous medical records and would also show my military history, except I was never sick in my 25 years of service, so it just reflects I joined and then left, and that central medical records are kept in Glasgow.  The main issue with systems is equipment running on legacy systems, they just don't talk to System One and they don't have modern security protection.and maybe how hackers are breaking into NHS services - this is not unique to the UK or the NHS.

Is it good/bad, I can only reflect on my personal experience and I don't have anything bad to say (yet); I do have an opinion (based on working with the NHS for 25 years) that it is badly run, they should stick to medicine.  My wife who works as a nurse in it says except for social care, it's no better/worse that what she experienced in the Netherlands   Social care in the UK is bad (her words, not mine).  Our daughter (also an NHS nurse) actually works in the social care sector, she agrees with her mother.

I should add, I was moaning about the potential long wait to see a NHS specialist with my back/leg issues; I just got a call from the hospital, I have an appointment next Monday !!!!  Having geared myself up for a long wait, I couldn't believe it and got a bit emotional when I told my wife afterwards.

We are slowly going off topic, so I will move my comment, onto Absolutely Anything Else.