[jamie7121]

This is part of an email i got from my case officer, is it par for the course or should i be worried.
"I have had an opportunity to examine your application and while everything is in order I will have to refer your medical certificate to our medical assessor on account of your diabetes. I hope to have a response back from them within the next few weeks. I will let you know if they require any more reports."
I should add that my diabetes results were very good as was my cholesterol etc,no ketones or protein in tests, red cell counts were a wee bit down due to slight anaemia. Has anyone came across this? Should i be worried at all?

[Caroline and Dave]

Hi Jamie,
I would say you have no worries at all really.
I have been an insulin dependent Diabetic since 1970 and I also have Osteoporosis and I was accepted by the NZIS after a medical review. As in the case of everyone with a potentialy serious medical condition that does not tick all their boxes, they will refer it to the medical assessor.This is standard practice and although worrying,it is very rare for you to get turned down.
What they need to be happy with is that you are not going to be a drain on their health service in the forseeable future.All your medical results are reasonable so I cannot see a problem. Diabetes which is out of control can lead to very serious conditions such as Kidney failure. This is not the case where you are concerned and I am sure they will pass you.It is still nervewracking I know but if I can be passed,so can you.

Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

[jamie7121]

Thanks very much for the soothing reply, it has set my mind more at ease. Im glad its kinda routine though i will take nothing for granted.

[annie abercrombie]

Don't worry at all. I have been type I for years and my medical assessment was referred as well. My HBA1C's are generally good and although I also have thyroid and chloresterol problems + anaemia - I was accepted without issue.

Have faith!

[jamie7121]

Thanks Annie, just what i wanted to hear. My HBA1C was 6.7, one of my best ever and my cholesterol was 3.7 which was definitely my best levels ever so i had felt very good with those results and was disappointed to being referred till i got your replies above which has shown me that its routine to get referred. It has certainly eased my mind, thanks to you both.

[Gilly1973]

Hi, I am in a similar position to yourselves. I am in the process of applying for PR. My wife suffers with type 1 diabetes and from what I understand is well controlled with good H1Cs and no related problems. My application was referred to the medical board and they requested some further information from the consultant treating my wife. This was submitted and we are currently awaiting the result. It does appear to take some time and unfortunatly for me I missed my job offer which I was due to start in April. I appreciate the positive responses you have received and I just hope we get approved as I have secured another position in October.

The problem I have is my case worker is unhelpful and unwilling to reply to any emails or messages left. I just hope you have a better case worker than me.

Good luck and I will let you know when we get our response.

[jamie7121]

Hi, I am in a similar position to yourselves. I am in the process of applying for PR. My wife suffers with type 1 diabetes and from what I understand is well controlled with good H1Cs and no related problems. My application was referred to the medical board and they requested some further information from the consultant treating my wife. This was submitted and we are currently awaiting the result. It does appear to take some time and unfortunatly for me I missed my job offer which I was due to start in April. I appreciate the positive responses you have received and I just hope we get approved as I have secured another position in October.

The problem I have is my case worker is unhelpful and unwilling to reply to any emails or messages left. I just hope you have a better case worker than me.

Good luck and I will let you know when we get our response.

Hi Gilly, sorry to hear about the delays you have had to face and i hope everything will be ok for you before October. how long was it after you were referred to the medical board before they asked you for further info from your wife's consultant? And how long has it been since you sent on the further info? I'm trying to get some idea of the time-scale though my CO has said he hopes to hear within a few weeks. I hope that's the end of it and that they don't want further reports but i will just have to get on with it if they do. When i went for my medical at the panel doctors i had already told her of my diabetes beforehand and she told me to go see my gp and get a report on how i was managing my diabetes and what my blood results were so they have all that already, hope its enough. All the best and i hope your CO gets their finger out, mine has kept me informed and im happy with that so far.

[Kim39]

Yes nothing to worry about at all. OH submitted her application for WTR a few months ago and was referred to Medical review board for her diabetes, and she is only type 2. Think its just the policy they have in place and just want to clarify their position.


Kim

[jamie7121]

Yes nothing to worry about at all. OH submitted her application for WTR a few months ago and was referred to Medical review board for her diabetes, and she is only type 2. Think its just the policy they have in place and just want to clarify their position.


Kim

Thanks Kim, thats reassuring. I am type 2 as well.

[annie abercrombie]

It is described in the media as an "epidemic" because the percentage getting type II is increasing at an alarming rate.

The good news for all diabetes coming here is the health service is generally really good. I have had better care here than I did in the UK and I thought the UK was great. Eye, foot and blood checks regularly + appointments with specialist diabetes nurses and doctors. I get one appointment at my GP/specialist nurse free a year and one I have to pay for. My great GP tries to work in other things that would cost/take time - so I can end up having a smear test, general fitness and diabetes check all in one go. Blood tests are very efficient too - often the results are back within a few hours. A far cry from the 2 weeks before appointments I had to do. Specialist hospital appointments are free for the diabetes clinic.

I have to pay $15 for 3 months supply of each medicine. If you switch to whatever the supported blood test machine is - you can get 3 months of the strips for about $5 max.

So - when you get here (which I am sure you will!) - all will be fine.

[jamie7121]

It is described in the media as an "epidemic" because the percentage getting type II is increasing at an alarming rate.

The good news for all diabetes coming here is the health service is generally really good. I have had better care here than I did in the UK and I thought the UK was great. Eye, foot and blood checks regularly + appointments with specialist diabetes nurses and doctors. I get one appointment at my GP/specialist nurse free a year and one I have to pay for. My great GP tries to work in other things that would cost/take time - so I can end up having a smear test, general fitness and diabetes check all in one go. Blood tests are very efficient too - often the results are back within a few hours. A far cry from the 2 weeks before appointments I had to do. Specialist hospital appointments are free for the diabetes clinic.

I have to pay $15 for 3 months supply of each medicine. If you switch to whatever the supported blood test machine is - you can get 3 months of the strips for about $5 max.

So - when you get here (which I am sure you will!) - all will be fine.
Some good info in there as the cost of medicine is free here as you know but the quotes you gave are quite cheap and i can live with that. I had heard that you can pay your first visit to your GP and get referred to a specialist in the nearest hospital and these subsequent visits to the referrred specialist are free, is that correct? Also that some modern dr surgerys have their own specialist dept within and that the same rule applies, or have i got that wrong?

[jamie7121]

Update on this is that a month after being referred to the Medical Assessor, the MA has asked for more info from my GP on the prognosis of my diabetes. So i had to make an appt with my GP which took another week, he took another 4 blood samples , weighed me and took my height, calculated my BMI which has fallen by 1.5 since my medical in March. I was right on the 35 at my medical but am now 33.5 so thats good. The medical also said i was slightly anaemic and provided the readings. When my doctor saw them he said i was not anaemic and he would state that in the letter he has been requested to write to the MA. According to my case officer, it basically means that they want my GP to confirm if i am going to cost NZ health service a lot of money in the future and that as i looked fairly healthy that it should be just a matter of course. I get my results in another week plus the GPs letter then i send it all to my case officer. So i anticipate another month of waiting. For anyone in a similar situation take heart as it seems par for the course. If your health is liable to cost a lot in the future and you are in the partner route like me they can offer a medical waiver which i was told would be given, though i was assured it wont get to that point with myself. so nil desperandum folks.

[Danny & Julie]

My hubby is type 1 and has been for 10 years, our case officer advised us to send a copy of all the specialist reports. So we got all his reports from the last 10 years. We had no problems getting PR.
As for the costs for medical care- our GP is expensive so we are looking for another $63.00 for a visit and $15.00 for a repeat script & $15.00 for each item.
If you have PR your hospital care is free, if you are here on a work visa you have to pay. On my hubbys first hospital visit he explained we were here on job visas but our PR application was been processed so he didn't have to pay just fax a copy of his PR visa when we got it.
My hubby has been to the hospital 3 times & has been impressed with the care, you can get scripts from the hospital free but as he has no problems with his diabetes he will only go yearly now.
You can get your test strips really cheap from a diabetic charity, I'll find the details and post a link.
Hope this helps
Julie

[jamie7121]

Thanks Julie. I am sure i read somewhere that after registering with a GP and seeing him/her the first time that you can get referred to a specialist in the hospital and that thereafter it is free when attending hospital for diabetes treatment?

[jamie7121]

Another update, on Tuesday my case officer said that the MA has passed my results so thats great. The referral took approx 8 weeks to complete. My case officer has now recommended my application for approval, which leaves me very happy. But this info might give others in the same situation an idea of the time scales. PHEWWWWWWWWWW

[Danny & Julie]

Hi
So glad it's all sorted now:yes
Yes all your hospital care is free if you have PR. But you can't use them for repeat script's and any script you get is just for a 3 month supply. My hubby doesn't see his GP for his diabetic care thats all done at the hospital just like the UK.
Another thing is my Hubby uses Lantus and he had to get special funding for it here. That took about 4 months and a few GP visits, it's a good job he came over with a 6 month supply.

[jamie7121]

Thanks Julie. I will pleased to attend hospital for diabetes treatment as i did that in the UK and was happy with the standard. The scripts are ok, just have to get on with it. From what i gather i enrol with a GP and he/she refers me to a specialist in hospital. Well if all goes to plan i will be putting all to the test in October. Tara the noo.

[Gilly1973]

Hi, thought I would just post a quick reply on this thread. Our residence application has just been returned from the medical assessor in New Zealand and we received approval in principal. So anybody else with diabetes don't be too concerned as we have been approved, it just took a bit longer than normal. Many thanks to all that posted on here as it helped put our mind at rest whilst we waited for the results. Just got to get the flights booked now as sold house and currently in storage. Looking to leave for New Zealand in September.

Cheers

[jamie7121]

Hi, thought I would just post a quick reply on this thread. Our residence application has just been returned from the medical assessor in New Zealand and we received approval in principal. So anybody else with diabetes don't be too concerned as we have been approved, it just took a bit longer than normal. Many thanks to all that posted on here as it helped put our mind at rest whilst we waited for the results. Just got to get the flights booked now as sold house and currently in storage. Looking to leave for New Zealand in September.

Cheers

We are just about a step behind you Gilly and hope to be in Wellington in late October. Things are moving apace now and we doing our countdown :D