UK Health Services for new immigrants

I'm a Canadian citizen who just moved to the UK in February, 2009. I'm on a UK Ancestral visa where it says that I am not eligible for access to "public funds." I thought that meant I would not be eligible for free health care, so I bought private insurance. Now that I'm here, I've been told that when you work in the UK and pay national insurance tax (which I do), that national health insurance is provided. Does anyone know precisely what services are/are not provided with a Northern Ireland Health Services Card? I've checked the website but the information is really vague. Also, since I work for the health sector and see how terrible the health system is here, is there any benefit to keeping additional private insurance?

Everything is provided theoretically. It's not like Canada where certain things aren't covered. You don't even have to pay for prescriptions if they're deemed medically necessary for you to live (e.g. insulin). Standard prescriptions are more heavily subsidized in the UK as well. Even blood sugar test strips are covered in the UK, dentistry, optometry, the lot.

What you need is your NHS number, which I'm sure you can apply for on a website somewhere or find out who your local GP/clinic is and apply there.

However the reality is that local health care trusts only have a finite amount of money as you will find out if your doctor prescribes you a really expensive drug, and NHS dentists can be hard to find. And only basic optometry is covered, so your get your eye test for a subsidized fee (sometimes your employer has to pay for this if you have a job where your eyes might get hurt, e.g. a data entry job) and a pair of really crap glasses.

Now you know why you pay a ton more tax in the UK than in Canada.

The one thing that I did like about the UK system is that it's not completely nationalized like in Canada, so you do have the option if you want of paying for it yourself, e.g. on BUPA and using a private hospital.

I used to find it a bit bizarre though because specialists often work for the health trust and BUPA so I'd end up seeing the same guy in a different office!

There are differences between the different countries in the UK, I'm sure if you have a poke around on the NHS website it will have lots of info.

Am a brit living in S. Ireland, have to say it's all a mystery to me too.
Mind you, it was even when living in UK, especially after living in the USA where you just seem to pay for everything!
Angela