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Move to France from UK with 2 and 1/2 yr old with CF

Question
My son has CF, with two copies of delta508. He has excellent health care in the UK and remains well, despite culturing pseudomona 3 times in his first 18 months. Now my husband has had a good job offer in the South of France and wants us all to go. What would our position be with regard to healthcare? Is there any national health care available to us as EU citizens? Would there be any English speaking health care available? How does the CF care compare with that in the UK? We currently have joint care between Eastbourne General and a team at Kings College London.
Answer
Dear questioner

Thank you for your question. We have been able to contact our colleagues in the European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS) and they have provided us with this information which I hope answers all the questions.

In the south of France most CF doctors can speak English. In total there are 49 CF centres in France. The list is on our website: www.vaincrelamuco.org/ewb_pages/c/centres-reference.php. In France CF is considered as a chronic disease (ALD = affection de longue durée) and patients are entitled to have all their care free, if they benefit from social security.

When you get confirmation of where your husband will be situated you can contact the medical department of Vaincre la Mucoviscidose to access more information. medical@vaincrelamuco.org
The best CF practices have been published and are listed on this website: www.has-sante.fr/portail/upload/docs/application/pdf/07-025-mucovisidose-guide_sans_lap.pdf.


You will find many brochures on healthcare (in French) on our website: “vivre avec la muco”
www.vaincrelamuco.org/ewb_pages/v/vivre-avec-muco.php
You will also find information on health care reimbursement on the following website www.vaincrelamuco.org/ewb_pages/p/prise_en_charge_des_soins.php
and information about care on: www.vaincrelamuco.org/ewb_pages/l/les-soins.php

Regards

Prof Judy Bradley
07.02.2013
The answer is edited by: Prof Judy Bradley