A Manx resident has racked up a £25,000 medical bill after spending six months in the UK with a life-threatening condition.

Nikki Morrison travelled to East Sussex for her sister’s funeral in March, expecting to be there for only 10 days, but was rushed to hospital to receive treatment after experiencing intense stomach pains.

She was in and out of hospital for six months and believed her medical treatment would be covered by the Reciprocal Health Agreement (RHA), which ensures Isle of Man residents visiting the UK receive free healthcare and vice versa.

That was until she received an invoice and found out the RHA covers a person only for the first three months they are in the UK and starts from the first day the person arrives in the UK, not the first day of their hospital treatment.

In total, her treatment cost £24,330.53.

Nikki said: ’It’s quite frightening that nobody I’ve spoken to understands what could happen.’

A government spokesman said that Isle of Man residents have always been advised that travel insurance is essential for visits to the United Kingdom.

’Manx residents must ensure they have adequate repatriation insurance, should they become ill or suffer an injury and require specialist transfer back to the island,’ she said.

’Private travel insurance policies may also provide cover for the cost of healthcare and treatment.

’The Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement (RHA) between the Isle of Man and the United Kingdom covers the cost of treatment in the respective jurisdictions for up to three months, starting from the point of arrival in the UK and not the first day of treatment.

’All Isle of Man residents who travel to the UK (including on business unless they work in the UK for a UK company) should ensure that they have adequate insurance in place, particularly in regards to repatriation.

’This can be a considerable expense if for instance, the hire of a private air ambulance is required.

’Anyone travelling outside the UK needs to make arrangements for full healthcare cover in all the countries they are visiting, for both medical treatment and repatriation.’

Nikki travelled to England on February 24 after receiving the news that her sister had died, so she immediately booked a ferry.

INSURANCE

’I didn’t have any health insurance or travel insurance because I’d always thought I didn’t need it. I was only going to the UK,’ Nikki said. ’It never occured to me that I might end up with a massive bill for a treatment.’

The Douglas resident continued: ’I was completely healthy when I went to the UK, nothing wrong with me, and didn’t expect anything of it because I was only going to be there for a couple of weeks.

’On March 16 I suddenly started getting really awful stomach pains and my other sister called an ambulance and they took me in.

’I had severe pancreatitis. The one thing I wanted was to be out for my sister’s funeral and two days later they had to put me in an induced coma. They told me I wouldn’t be out for a while.’

Nikki’s illness didn’t stop there. She had multiple organ failure as her kidneys, lungs and liver all failed while she experienced problems with her heart.

She ended up in intensive care for one month, was put on life support for a week and put into an induced coma.

Nikki spent a long time recovering and learning to walk again.

’You lose all your functions when you’re in intensive care for that long,’ she added.

She was in and out of hospital over a six-month period due to various problems.

’I was losing weight like crazy and I was just incredibly ill,’ Nikki said. ’It’s been a really long drag - really, really difficult.

’The day before my sister’s funeral my family were told "she is in a critical condition and we are doing everything to keep her alive but don’t be surprised if she dies in the next 24 hours".’

When Nikki was in hospital for the last time, the doctors told her she wasn’t strong enough to go under general anaesthetic but two days later explained she had to have an operation.

She continued: ’They called my sister in because I was hysterical. I made my funeral plan and said goodbye to my family and friends.

’It has been a really awful time and I’ve been diagnosed with something called PICS, Post Intensive Care Syndrome, which is your body’s reaction to the stress of having so many things done to you.’

Nikki added: ’Every time the doctors came to see me and said "we need to do this", I’d say "how much is it going to cost me?"

REGISTERED

’They’d always say "it’s not going to cost anything" and I’d say "yes, it is because I’m not registered in the UK".’

She explained that it was ’quite scary’ that the doctors couldn’t tell her how much the treatments were going to cost and that she just had to wait for the invoice to find out.

Nikki felt she couldn’t have travelled back to the island even if she’d wanted to because she wasn’t strong enough for the journey.

She said: ’I was in a position where I couldn’t come home.

’I couldn’t have coped with a flight. I could hardly walk and I was utterly exhausted by the nine-mile drive from the hospital.

’Plus, if I’d come back then I would have had to do two weeks’ isolation at home but I couldn’t have had any carers coming in and I needed full time care.

’But if I had come back, I would’ve been straight back to Noble’s and they either would have had to have paid for the care there or transfer me back to the UK.’

She returned home to the Isle of Man on Tuesday, August 24.

Nikki was worried about covering the cost of the bill as she can’t currently work.

She said: ’I won’t be back at work for a good few months yet.

’I’ve got income protection insurance which will kick in from September 15.

’It’s really hard work being on half pay and I’m just about to go onto nil pay and having a £25,000 bill over your head doesn’t exactly help when you’re not well.’

A GoFundMe page has been set up on behalf of Nikki by her niece to raise the funds through donations.

It has reached just over £5,000 so far of the £15,000 target and Nikki thanked those who had donated for being ’so generous’.

You can donate by going to the page named ’Help Nikki Morrison pay her NHS medical bills’.