Good Health At The TT

Good News on Isle of Man Health Agreement – Appears to have been a sucessful campaign!

16th March 2010

Just as Right To Ride got involved in publicising the “Cancellation of Reciprocal Health Agreement”, we received news that the Reciprocal Health Agreement will remain in place for a further six months.

Cancellation of the agreement would have meant that all medical service fees apart from A & E, would have had to met by any person visiting the Isle of Man and this would have meant taking out travel insurance .

Manx Radio reported that, Chief Minister Tony Brown made the shock announcement in Tynwald, the Parliament of the Isle of Man.

“He told the court and a packed public gallery that a temporary reciprocal health agreement would come in to place on April first to replace the outgoing one – and will then be evaluated.”

“Mr Brown said he’d only been told the news by the UK’s Secretary of State for Health Andy Burnham at lunchtime.” “Exact details aren’t clear yet”.

“But Mr Brown told Tynwald the British government’s change of mind had come about because of the pressure exerted by the Manx government, MPs and members of the public.”

“His announcement brought a great cheer from Tynwald members and people in the public gallery.”

Good news if you are heading to the TT races and good news all round for visitors and residents of the Isle of Man.

Hopefully the UK Government will see sense and make the temporary reciprocal health agreement permanent.

Links

The Cancellation of Reciprocal Health Agreement website – www.cancellationofreciprocalhealthagreement.org

MANX Radio – www.manxradio.com

Good Health At The TT

15th March 2010

If you are planning to travel to the Isle of Man this year for the TT Races, the MANX GP, Southern 100 Races or just for a holiday, be aware that on the 31st March the reciprocal health agreement between the Isle of Man and the UK ceases.

Right To Right has picked this news up from the “Cancellation of Reciprocal Health Agreement” website which has gathered information to inform every one of the on going questions and answers in Parliament and subsequent lobbying to try to reverse the decision made by the UK Government.

The “Cancellation of Reciprocal Health Agreement” means that all medical services fees apart from A & E will be your responsibility, the advice at the moment for individuals is to take out travel insurance and to check that your policy covers the Isle of Man.

Although the cost of travel insurance is not likely to be very high there is a worry that most people won’t take it out because they probably don’t see it as necessary or simply won’t know about it, but hopefully travel agencies and travel websites will have picked up on the news and offer insurance policies to people travelling to the Isle of Man.

Fortunately for the TT competitors, they will be covered by health insurance – but only when officially in action, however members of motorcycle teams will have to take out their own insurance.

The “Cancellation of Reciprocal Health Agreement” website says that this cancellation, “needs reviewing and overturning before it’s too late. Don’t sit thinking you can’t do anything. The more of us that group together and shout, the harder we are to ignore!”

The “Cancellation of Reciprocal Health Agreement” website also says, “If you have anything you feel should be added to this site or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us through the contact page”.

In the meantime make sure if you are travelling to the Isle of Man, that you have health insurance cover.

Lobby Have Your Say Below!

Contact

Our thanks to The Cancellation of Reciprocal Health Agreement website for bringing this issue to the fore.

Visit their website for full detailed information.

We have used this information to put together a “Lobbying – Political” and “Lobby – Your Say” section below.

This will will point you in the right direction to get remaining Northern Ireland MPs to sign an Early Day Motion (EDM) or to make them aware of the issue.

The Cancellation of Reciprocal Health Agreement website www.cancellationofreciprocalhealthagreement.org

Lobbying – Political

Downing Street Petition has raised over 9,000 signatures.

As of the 13th March, sixty three MPs had signed an Early Day Motion (EDM 708) Isle Of Man NHS Reciprocal Health Agreement at the House of Commons.

Eight out of twelve Northern Ireland MPs who attend Parliament or who still retain their seat have signed the EDM, these include Eddie McGrady – SDLP, Gregory Campbell –DUP, David Simpson – DUP, Dr William McCrea – DUP – Lady Hermon – UUP, Jeffery M Donaldson – DUP, Mark Durkan – SDLP and Nigel Dodds – DUP.

Meanwhile at the Northern Ireland Assembly, David McClarty of the UUP recently put a motion to the Assembly:

“That this Assembly notes with concern the unilateral decision by the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Health, Andy Burnham MP, to cancel the Reciprocal Health Agreement between the UK and the Isle of Man on 1 April 2010; and calls on the Minister of Health Social Services and Public Safety to seek an urgent review of this decision which will substantially disadvantage Northern Ireland and other united Kingdom residents and voters, in particular the elderly, the chronically disabled and motorbike enthusiasts.”

Andrew Mackinlay Labour MP for Thurrock picked up the cause of Manx Residents and UK residents, introduced the Early Day Motion and has tirelessly worked towards the aim of overturning the decision that was taken without consultation with any other parliament or assembly in the UK.

Andrew Mackinlay also introduced a motion to the the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly plenary session, which was held in Cavan in February 2010:

“That the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly calls on the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Health to defer the cancellation of the Reciprocal Health Agreement”

Mr David McClarty spoke during the debate to put forward Northern Ireland’s point of view, he said, “We fully support the motion. A potentially huge number of Northern Ireland’s citizens could be disadvantaged by this. A huge number travel every year for the TT races.”

The motion was agreed to unanimously.

View House of Commons – Early Day Motion (EDM 708) Isle Of Man NHS Reciprocal Health Agreement Click Here

View the debate at British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly plenary session Click Here

Lobby – Your Say – Now Canceled

Northern Ireland MPs who have signed the EDM (as of 13th March):

Eddie McGrady – SDLP

Gregory Campbell – DUP

David Simpson – DUP

Dr William McCrea – DUP

Lady Hermon – UUP

Jeffery M Donaldson – DUP

Mark Durkan – SDLP

Nigel Dodds – DUP

Northern Ireland MPs to lobby to sign EDM

Alasdair McDonnell – Belfast South – SDLP

Ian Paisley – North Antrim – DUP

Peter Robinson – Belfast East – DUP

Sammy Wilson – East Antrim – DUP

Northern Ireland MPs to make aware of EDM

Gerry Adams – Belfast West – Sinn Féin

Martin McGuinness – Mid Ulster – Sinn Féin

Pat Doherty – West Tyrone – Sinn Féin

Find out who your MP is visit BBC Democracy Live website (type in your postcode – gives constituency address – good for a letter) Click Here

Find out who your MP is visit Parliament website (type in your postcode – good for email) Click Here

The Early Day Motion (EDM 708) Isle Of Man NHS Reciprocal Health Agreement says:

“That this House calls on the Secretary of State for Health to defer the cancellation of the reciprocal health agreement with the Isle of Man planned for 1 April 2010 and to review the decision to abrogate the arrangement, a decision which will not only be unfair to residents of the Isle of Man but also substantially disadvantage United Kingdom residents and voters and in particular the elderly, the chronically disabled and motorbike enthusiasts; believes that Age Concern and all the major disability pressure groups and charities should be consulted as part of the review; asks that the review be at ministerial level with the Health Ministers of the Isle of Man, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales as well as the Justice Secretary, who has responsibility for the bilateral and constitutional relationships between the United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies; demands that the details and totality of the costs of the reciprocal agreement to both jurisdictions be published; seeks an explanation of the constitutional basis upon which the Secretary of State relies to abrogate the existing agreement on behalf of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales; and requests that the Secretary of State makes a statement on the modalities by which it is proposed to collect the costs of emergency admissions and hospitalisation in each jurisdiction if the existing agreement is terminated.”

Lobby Your Say!

Drop your MP a letter or email asking them to sign the EDM.

We don’t want MPs to receive identical communication.

With a bit of time and effort using the text on this page write to them in your own words!

However there is a sample letter you can use which is on the Cancellation of Reciprocal Health Agreement website.

Click Here

If you get a reply let us know!

info@writetoride.co.uk.

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