Holiday dialysis for UK patients: NHS, GHIC and going abroad

If you dialyse in the UK, how your holiday dialysis is arranged and paid for depends mainly on where you're going. There are three broad cases: elsewhere in the UK, within Europe, and the rest of the world.

Holiday dialysis within the UK

If you want to visit Cornwall, the Lake District, Edinburgh or London, you can usually dialyse at another NHS unit as a visiting patient. Your home unit and the host unit arrange it between them, and NHS patients generally don't pay for the treatment itself.

The catch is capacity. Units in popular holiday areas have a limited number of spare chairs, and summer fills quickly. Ask your unit's holiday coordinator as early as you can, ideally two to three months ahead.

See dialysis centers in London, Edinburgh, Cornwall and the Lake District.

Holiday dialysis in Europe with a GHIC

The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which replaced the EHIC for most people, covers state-provided healthcare in EU countries on the same terms as local residents. That includes dialysis, but with two important conditions:

• It must be pre-arranged. You need to book your sessions with the unit before you travel; you can't turn up and ask.
• It covers state-provided treatment only. Many units in resorts are private, and some private units have agreements with the state system. Check before you book whether the unit accepts GHIC patients.

If you're treated under the state system you may pay nothing, or a local patient contribution. A private unit that doesn't take GHIC patients will charge you directly.

Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy and France all have units that regularly take visiting UK patients. See holiday dialysis in Spain and our destinations.

Holiday dialysis outside Europe

Outside the EU, your GHIC doesn't apply, and in most countries you'll pay the unit directly. Costs vary a lot. See what holiday dialysis costs. A few countries have reciprocal healthcare arrangements with the UK, but they're limited and don't always cover pre-planned treatment, so check the current NHS guidance for your destination.

Popular options with established units that treat visitors include the USA, Thailand, Mexico and Australia.

Paperwork your home unit will need to send

Wherever you go, the visiting unit will want recent information from your home unit. That usually means your prescription, recent bloods, hepatitis B/C and HIV screening, often an MRSA screen, your medication list and a medical summary. Your unit's holiday coordinator usually sends these, but they need time, so give them plenty of notice.

Don't forget travel insurance

A GHIC is not travel insurance. It won't cover repatriation, cancellations or private treatment. Buy travel insurance that knows about your kidney condition. See travel insurance and dialysis.

Common questions

Rules on GHIC and reciprocal healthcare change. Check the current NHS guidance before you travel. This article is general information, not medical or legal advice.