I sometimes wonder if I’m practicing on a different planet. About 60% of my workload this time of year (in Australia) is made up of tourists, often non-resident/citizen and with various medication related dramas. Other than 1 person, who was taking a medicine not licensed in Australia and who chose not to avail of an appropriate alternative despite it being signed off as equivalent by her Swiss GP, it has been entirely possible to organise medication, treatment and care for them. This has persisted across states and territories encompassing 2/3 of the Australian population, remote aboriginal communities, mine sites and outback towns, as well as major metropolitan areas

My practice in NZ was less extensive but the above was also categorically possible, and thus I am forced to conclude that obtrusive and illogical government rules don’t actually play a part at all

UK and Irish citizens can also avail of reciprocal access to Medicare, the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, and the NZ public health system, which means for a decent percentage of anglophiles it need not even be expensive

If anyone is having a specific issue in this regard, in Australia or NZ, I am happy to assist/signpost via PM