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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Nickengland on April 24, 2005, at 17:52:46
Hi there to any Australians or New Zealanders!
I am curious about how your healths systems work over there...
I'm in the early stages planning to go to either New Zealand or Australia to study. I am prescribed medication for bipolar over here in England, (only one mood stabiliser) and am interested in knowing how i'd go about getting my meds if I get to go down under!
Many thanks to anyone who can help as I sadly have little knowledge of your health systems, but i've heard its far better than ours : )
Kind Regards,
Nick
Posted by Declan on April 25, 2005, at 19:57:15
In reply to Australian/New Zealand Psychiatry, posted by Nickengland on April 24, 2005, at 17:52:46
Hi Nick
You wouldn't get them on the PBS, you would pay full price. This is Australia I'm talking about. You can see any doctor (need a referral for specialists), though there again you would have to pay all of it. (No Medicare rebate) In which case there would be no need for a referral. In the UK its different, isn't it? Couldn't understand it when I was there, gee 30 years ago maybe. Anyway the dr I saw for benzos even though I had a letter from my Australian psych, she hated prescribing them and calculated the no. of tablets to the day in her script. She probably had a point, but I felt it was this tight English thing. Could you look up MIMS online to find out what drugs are available here?
Declan
Posted by alexandra_k on April 26, 2005, at 0:41:08
In reply to Australian/New Zealand Psychiatry, posted by Nickengland on April 24, 2005, at 17:52:46
Hi there. I'm from NZ. As a resident... Well, as a resident there are benefits. In both places (Australia and NZ). Public health system etc etc. As a student... Typically there are benefits. Usually at universities you pay a health levy (about 50 bucks or something like that) which is part of your fees. For that you get to see a Dr (a GP) for free. That is how it works in NZ anyway - not too sure about Australia. Prescription charges... Hmm... You might be stuck paying full price there. As a resident I get a Community Services Card (because I earn under NZ$30,000 -or something like that) which gets me MOST medications for $3.00.
But I don't think you would get a Community Services Card (and I don't know if prescription charges are subsidised in Aust. anyways).
We also have a thing where the uni GP can refer you to see a private psychiatrist for something like three times per year. The cost is covered by the uni. That is supposed to be enough to get you up and running on a medication and your GP will just keep on writing you a script for that.
Hope this was sort of helpful. Sorry I don't know more about Australia.
Let me know if you have any more questions...
Posted by Nickengland on April 26, 2005, at 10:33:38
In reply to Re: Australian/New Zealand Psychiatry, posted by Declan on April 25, 2005, at 19:57:15
Hi Declan
Thanks for replying and for the information : )
What does PBS stand for..is this your version of our NHS?
Is Medicare like an insurance policy?
Sounds like it could be expensive for me then, the medication I take at the moment is carbamazepine but i'm changing this to oxcarbazepine this week, i'll look this 2 up on the MIMS you mentioned.
Yes in the UK you have the NHS (national health service) You go to your GP which is free, if he can't help you with regards to medications and you need a specialist (eg psychiatirst) he refers to one in your area which is also free. When/if you get prescribed any medication you pay for it, only if your an adult with a job and medication is always the same price £6.00 - 12 Australian dollars i think roughly. (children, people jobless and the elderly pay nothing for meds)
You can go privite if you wish but this very expensive so most people use the NHS.
Absolutely no chance of getting a benzo over here these days, I know what you mean the doctors are tight in the benzo respect bigtime!
Thanks for that info Declan, where abouts are you from in Oz?
Nick
Posted by Nickengland on April 26, 2005, at 11:00:49
In reply to Re: Australian/New Zealand Psychiatry » Nickengland, posted by alexandra_k on April 26, 2005, at 0:41:08
Hi Alexandra
Thanks for all that information : )
Thats good what you say about being a student, 50 bucks doesnt sound too bad at all.
Full price prescription charges..are they expensive if I have to play full price?....I did come across some information yesterday on one your government websites (immigration.govt.nz) it mentions this which I found surprising unless its something to do with the commonwealth?? i have no idea..copy and paste time..lol ps its at the bottom it mentions about british people.
-----------------------------------------------
Health and insurance
Being able to get good health care is important when you’re studying overseas. Our universities and polytechnics all have student health services. You can use these for a very reasonable fee while you’re a student.If you’re in a homestay you’ll probably be able to visit your homestay family’s doctor.
You need to have good health insurance. New Zealand has publicly funded health services like subsidised prescription medication and hospital treatment. But you are entitled to these services only if you are a British or Australian citizen.
------------------------------------------------
Sounds good to me, not sure if its the same for australia or not though.
3$ for medications that sounds great! Infact when I've been reading about New Zealand compared to England it sounds so much better than here, less crowded, cost of living is better etc..and not forgetting the weather!..
By the time i'm ready to leave, if all goes well, I should be well established on my medication so i'm hoping all i'll need is the repeat prescription, but of course the safety of having a psychiatrist is a must incase I become ill - I've never been in hospital though so at least things shouldn't get too bad : /
Thanks Alexandra that was indeed helpful, whereabouts are you from in New Zealand?
Nick
Posted by Declan on April 26, 2005, at 23:20:49
In reply to Re: Declan, posted by Nickengland on April 26, 2005, at 10:33:38
Hi Nick,
PBS stands for prescription benefit system, so it might be the like NHS but just for prescriptions. Most of the cost is covered by the government. Medicare is to cover the cost of services by doctors. From half to all of it if they bulk bill. For both these you need a medicare card, I guess but don't know, only available to Australian citizens. (residents?)
I live in the Northern Rivers part of NSW.
Declan
Posted by alexandra_k on April 26, 2005, at 23:57:26
In reply to Re: Alexandra, posted by Nickengland on April 26, 2005, at 11:00:49
> Thats good what you say about being a student, 50 bucks doesnt sound too bad at all.
And it is just part of your tuition. A health and councelling students levy or something like that.
> Full price prescription charges..are they expensive if I have to play full price?....Hmm. I have never paid full price... I think it varies depending on what medication you are on. If you tell me the name of your meds (and dosage) I could ask at my pharmicy if you would like.
>I did come across some information yesterday on one your government websites (immigration.govt.nz) it mentions this which I found surprising unless its something to do with the commonwealth?? i have no idea..copy and paste time..lol ps its at the bottom it mentions about british people.
>
> -----------------------------------------------
>
> Health and insurance
> Being able to get good health care is important when you’re studying overseas. Our universities and polytechnics all have student health services. You can use these for a very reasonable fee while you’re a student.Hmm. Maybe it is just my uni that offers a free doctor then. I don't know. I think all uni's have free doctors - but not polytechnics. To the best of my knowledge anyway.
> You need to have good health insurance. New Zealand has publicly funded health services like subsidised prescription medication and hospital treatment. But you are entitled to these services only if you are a British or Australian citizen.
???
I'm not sure about that. Was that off a NZ site? It doesn't mention NZ citizens, but maybe that is a given. Maybe it is a little old? It used to be the case (a while ago now) that you didn't even need a passport to travel between NZ and Australia. And residency was interchangable. But then too many Kiwi's who were on the dole (unemployment benefit) decided to move over to the gold coast and go be on the dole over there ;-) So they clamped down a little. Now NZ residents have to work (or maybe even study) for 6 months in Australia to get residency benefits for health and welfare etc etc. Last summer I had a chat to some kiwi PhD students over in Australia and they said it was a bit ambiguous as to whether they has Australian health benefits after studying there for 6 months. They would try and claim them and mostly it would go through ok, and sometimes it wouldn't (it was done by reinbursement). I know that NZ and Australia don't consider students from the other country to be international - whereas British and Canadian Students are considered international - so I would say that you wouldn't get quite as good a deal out of NZ as an Australian would, or out of Australia as much as a Kiwi would if you get what I mean.> 3$ for medications that sounds great! Infact when I've been reading about New Zealand compared to England it sounds so much better than here, less crowded, cost of living is better etc..and not forgetting the weather!..
Yeah. You certainly get a lot of $NZ out of pounds.
> By the time i'm ready to leave, if all goes well, I should be well established on my medication so i'm hoping all i'll need is the repeat prescription, but of course the safety of having a psychiatrist is a must incase I become ill - I've never been in hospital though so at least things shouldn't get too bad : /
Ok. You should be fine then.
> Thanks Alexandra that was indeed helpful, whereabouts are you from in New Zealand?Round the middle of the North Island.
Posted by Nickengland on April 28, 2005, at 9:12:55
In reply to Re: Declan, posted by Declan on April 26, 2005, at 23:20:49
Many thanks Declan
I managed to do some research and by the looks of thing I would need, Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) which is similar to that of Medicare. However the people who would get some kind of benefits on your health system for students is people from Sweden and Norway..bloody vikins lol
Cheers for that info mate
Kind regards
Nick
Posted by Nickengland on April 28, 2005, at 9:53:17
In reply to Re: Alexandra » Nickengland, posted by alexandra_k on April 26, 2005, at 23:57:26
Hello Alexandra,
Yes that would be very kind of you if you could find out the price of my med's. It will either be:
Carbamazepine @ 200mg a day - This should be fairly cheap.
or
Oxcarbazepine @ 300mg a day - This will probably cost quite more im guessing.
I say either because im on carbamazepine at the moment but today will be getting oxcarbazepine to see if it will have less side effects. (the 2 medications are very similiar to each other anyway)
Yep that information was definately off of an official New Zealand website. Its a government one for immigration so I guess thats why it doesn't mention anything about New Zealand people as its meant for people from overseas. Page was last up-dated the 22nd March 2005. Heres a link of the page...Hmm sorry that didn't work..not sure how you insert a hyperlink on here?!
Yeah I see what your saying about being considered an internaional student and not getting as much out of NZ as an Australian would. That makes it kinda confusing after looking at the goverment website as it mentions Australian and British like they have the same rights in NZ with regards to the health service...
But I definately agree with what you say. Hmm i'll have to investigate this a little more as the information is pretty loosely termed and doesn't go deep into the red tape. I'll try to investigate this further...Many thanks Alexandra : )
Nick
Posted by The_Resistance on April 30, 2005, at 11:09:27
In reply to Re: Alexandra, posted by Nickengland on April 28, 2005, at 9:53:17
Sorry to intrude!
I have to say I've heard good things about the Australian health service (I don't know much about NZ).
Its got more freedom than the UK service, without being as privitised as the US.For one thing ADHD is taken much more seriously than the UK.
May I ask what your studying Nick?
I would really like to do postgraduate work in Australia but don't no anything about how to do it, or were to get information.
Posted by ed_uk on April 30, 2005, at 22:05:06
In reply to Australia-Health service and university, posted by The_Resistance on April 30, 2005, at 11:09:27
Hi!
You've turned your babblemail off!
Ed.
Posted by The Resistance on May 1, 2005, at 5:30:44
In reply to Re: Australia-Health service and university » The_Resistance, posted by ed_uk on April 30, 2005, at 22:05:06
Sorry I've really taken this thread of topic
Thanks for bringing that to my attention Ed
I didn't turn my bmail of, it just stopped working for some reason, should work now I hope!
Posted by ed_uk on May 1, 2005, at 15:53:42
In reply to Babblemail should be working now, posted by The Resistance on May 1, 2005, at 5:30:44
It's still broken!
Ed.
Posted by alexandra_k on May 1, 2005, at 19:27:39
In reply to Australia-Health service and university, posted by The_Resistance on April 30, 2005, at 11:09:27
>I would really like to do postgraduate work in Australia but don't no anything about how to do it, or were to get information.
If you are looking at PhD level then there are scholarships available similarly to ones that are available in the US (ie ones that cover tuition and a living stipend). In fact the living stipend is more generous than the US - especially given the cost of living.
Australasian institutions tend to be more research focused than the US. People are encouraged to get into research ASAP. The PhD program is 3 years (instead of 5 in US or 4 in Canada) and is thesis only. No coursework. If you go to a good institution they should have a good seminar series, though, where people present their current research, and there should be lots of reading groups which basically replace coursework and you get to pick which reading groups you want to participate in.
It is common practice to get 4 years of funding out of them...
There is no teaching requirement - teaching is optional and you get paid extra if you choose to do that.
To find out more just have a look at the admissions (and scholarship pages) for the university you are interested in.
I don't know what you are studying... For some subjects (well, mine at least) there are reports available which list the institutions and there strengths in the subject area etc. If there is one for your subject then that can be a good place to find some institutions. Then just check out that institutions webpages.
Good luck.
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