Getting tough on NHS debtors

18 March 2011

Tough action to tackle health tourism was promised today, following the publication of 2 consultation reports on charging overseas visitors for NHS hospital care.

The UK Border Agency and the Department of Health carried out consultations last year following a 2009 review which set out to examine the rules on charging overseas visitors for access to NHS services in England. After considering the responses to the consultations, the government has now announced how these rules will change.

NHS measures for England include:

• extending the time that UK residents can spend abroad without losing their automatic entitlement to free hospital treatment, from 3 months to 6 months;
• allowing the small number of failed asylum seekers co-operating on registered Home Office support schemes (but not other failed asylum seekers who refuse to return home) to be exempt from charges; and
• guaranteeing free hospital treatment for unaccompanied children while they are under local authority care.

As part of the Home Office measures for the UK, anyone owing the NHS £1,000 or more will not be allowed to enter or remain in the UK until the debt is paid off. It is hoped that the £1,000 threshold, which will be implemented later this year, will capture 94 per cent of outstanding charges owed to the NHS.

To enforce this action, the NHS will provide information enabling the UK Border Agency to identify the debtors when they apply to return to or remain in the UK.

Anne Milton, Public Health Minister, said:

'The NHS has a duty to anyone whose life or long-term health is at immediate risk, but we cannot afford to become an international health service, providing free treatment for all.

'These changes will begin the process of developing a clearer and fairer system of access to free NHS services, which our review of the charging system will complete. I want to see a system which maintains the confidence of the public while preventing inappropriate free access and continuing our commitment to human rights and protecting vulnerable groups.'

Damian Green, Immigration Minister, said:

'The NHS is a national health service, not an international one. If someone does not pay for their treatment, we will not let them back into the country.
'We need robust controls to protect our public services.'

A full copy of the UK Border Agency consultation report can be found on this website. To find out more about the Department of Health consultation, see the Department of Health website.