Hi!
I wonder if anyone can advise on the following. I am a Brit who moved to live abroad 6 years ago (in Japan). I was diagnosed 3 years ago with CML and am being treated here in Japan (400 mg glivec). I am in MMR status. I am starting to plan for (early) retirement, which would involve returning to UK, and I was wondering what to watch out for in terms of getting treatment switched back to UK.
I know that I have to first get an address in UK again and register with a doctor near the new address. Would there be any issue in returning and registering in Scotland if I was previously registered in England? Anything to watch out for in terms of location? (I gather from other posts that being near a place with large chemist and ability to travel to a specialist centre are high on the list).
I assume that I then have to be referred to a specialist for assessment? (Sorry if this all seems obvious - ironically I never had any major issues in the 47 years I lived in England, so never had to go beyond visiting my GP). Do you know if I can be prescribed glivec based on my existing doctor's assessment or do I have to wait on confirmation in UK? (I am trying to understand how much glivec I would need to bring back with me to cover until I could get it prescribed and receive it in UK).
I realise that this is not a good time to be seeking advice as there are very pressing issues ongoing with NICE, but I would appreciate it if someone could offer answers on the above or any additional advice. My return is still some time away, but I am trying to understand what to look out for as part of my plans.
Best wishes, Bill