30.04.12
Health tourism ‘risks’ for NHS
Campaigners have warned that the NHS risks becoming a ‘world health service’, as too many visitors to the country can claim free treatment.
GPs currently do not have to ask prospective patients for ID or proof of address when registering, and foreign nationals on a six-month visitor’s visa can begin receiving free healthcare immediately.
Migration WatchUKis questioning the sustainability of ‘health tourism’. Sir Andrew Green, chairman of the organisation, said: “What this means is that someone getting off a plane with a valid visitor’s visa, is, in effect, able to access the GP services of the NHS without ever having paid a penny into the system. Over one and a half million such visas were issued last year.
“And once registered with a GP it is, in practice, an easy step to potentially highly expensive and long term treatment – all at the expense of theUKtaxpayer with little or no prospect of the beneficiaries ever being charged for it.”
“‘It is clearly not the job of doctors to act as an arm of the immigration service but there are clear and substantial risks of abuse in such a lax system and controls must be put in place.
“The present situation is outrageous. Everyone knows the pressure the NHS is under and its ever increasing cost to the taxpayer. To allow such easy and potentially hugely expensive access without any entitlement must be stopped at once, otherwise the NHS risks becoming the ‘World Health Service’.”
Simon Burns, the health minister, said “There is no formal requirement to provide documentation when registering with a GP. However, many GPs, when considering applications, request proof of identity and confirmation of address, but in doing so they must not act in a discriminatory way.
“A decision on whether to register a foreign national who has a six-month visitor visa is therefore currently for the GP to consider.”
The Government is looking at new ways to tackle the growing cost of ‘health tourism’ and is considering charging foreign patients or requiring them to take out health insurance.
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