Immigrants and visitors to the UK will have to pay NHS charges upfront,if they avail services during their stay.New rule has come into force which makes it mandatory for the medical staff to establish whether patients are eligible for state funded healthcare or not,before providing any treatment.This system has been established to counter “health tourism”.

The patients who are not covered under NHS will have to pay an upfront charge that is currently set at 150%of the cost to providers.However,the Department of Health stated that upfront charges would only apply for planned,elective treatments,and that no one would be denied accident and emergency care or maternity services – although some of these can be charged for retrospectively.

The charges to overseas visitors regulation amendment,2017

National Health Service(charges to overseas visitors)(amendment)regulations 2017,a piece of secondary legislation that passed parliament with no debate,all organisations receiving NHS funding must now charge ineligible patients before they are treated.The charging regime will also be extended to services such as health visiting,school nursing,community midwifery,community mental health services,termination of pregnancy services,district nursing,support groups,advocacy services,and specialist services for homeless people and asylum seekers.

Health minister James O’Shaughnessy said:“The NHS is a cherished national institution that is paid for by British taxpayers.

“We have no problem with overseas visitors using our NHS as long as they make a fair financial contribution,just as the British taxpayer does.The new regulations simply require NHS bodies to make inquiries about,and then charge,those who aren’t entitled to free NHS care.All the money raised goes back into funding and improving care for NHS patients.”

Lord O’Shaughnessy added:“We are clear that some vulnerable groups are exempt from charging and the NHS will never withhold urgent and immediately necessary treatment.”

Healthcare professionals unclear about whom to give treatment under NHS

The healthcare professionals are unsure about how to ascertain which patients are eligible for free treatment under NHS.A survey of healthcare professionals in north-west England carried out by Medact Manchester found almost two-thirds(62%)of respondents thought failed asylum seekers were ineligible for free primary care,with another third(30%)believing failed asylum seekers were not entitled to free emergency NHS care.“It is clear that NHS staff do not have the training and support they need to correctly identify who is and isn’t entitled to healthcare,” Dr Ruth Wiggans,co-chair of Medact Manchester,said.“What we’ll see as a result is people who should be receiving NHS care being wrongly turned away or simply being too worried to seek help themselves.”

Identification-checking scheme to be implemented across NHS centers

A pilot identification-checking scheme currently implemented at 20 NHS trusts might be extended across all centers where the patients will have to produce passports and driving licenses to guarantee receiving treatment they are entitled to.