13/04/2015

Hospital Patients May Be Asked For Passports Under New Rules

New hospital patients in England will be asked questions about their residence status in the UK, following the introduction of new rules by the Department of Health.

It is understood that if a patients residence in the UK is in doubt, they will be asked to produce passports and immigration documents.

Under the new rules, which came into force on 06 April, the NHS will be allowed to charged non-Eu patients 150% of the cost of treatment. Primary care and A&E care will remain free.

The department said that the new rules have been introduced in an effort to crackdown on so-called 'health tourism'.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Tory MP for North West Leicestershire, Andrew Bridgen: "This is not the International Health Service, it's the National Health Service.

"Non-UK nationals seeking medical attention should pay for their treatment.

"The NHS is funded by UK taxpayers for UK citizens and if any of us went to any of these countries we'd certainly be paying if we needed to be treated."

(MH/CD)

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