Can they have it both ways - BMA

I once had a Bulgarian carer who actually told me off for our stupid country giving everyone free medical care!
she said they come here now!!!

but if we are short of helping our own elderly people then it is crazy......you won't get free health care anywhere else in the world either.
It is obvious that if you were ill and could get on a cheap plane travel to get free health care then you would come here.
It can't be free to the whole world and stay.
I worry we will lose the NHS

A couple of years ago my son had a hospital appointment and as part of a pilot was asked to take ID to show he was resident in the UK and entitled to nhs treatment. Don't know if anything came from it. He has had many appointments since and has not been asked but maybe it's because they now have it on record.

It was a bit if a pain because I handed over the stuff (he has SN) and was told there was no photo ID - but the letter didn't say photo ID!!! I showed her the letter. The receptionist called to her manager and said "thats why no one is bringing any". In fact it gave no clues about what was acceptable so I'd taken a variety!!

It wouldn't work unless we all have ID cards.

Thirty years ago we had a neighbour whose daughter was married to a Frenchman and lived if France.
She came over to have each of her children(3) on the Nhs.

She was not a pleasant woman and upset all the other neighbours during her 3 month stay.

She considered her 4 years working here prior to her marriage gave her the right to the Nhs.

As usual our system makes a song and dance about collecting payment for foreign nationals to be treated in our hospitals.
Why don't we do as they do in the US and take a credit card BEFORE treatment commences.
And no no no we shouldn't provide free treatment. The NHS is always telling us how stretched for funds it is and denying life saving medicines for various illnesses.
I'm sick of the uk being taken for a mug!

Callistemon I pay tax in UK and France where I live. The UK currently pays for my health care in France and I have a top up insurance. I feel a bit peeved at the suggestion ( not yours ) I am taking advantage of the NHS. I worked in UK for 40 years. Obviously health care is going to be a concern in the event of a hard Brexit.

I wish I'd thought of using the NHS for my knee replacements one of which was thoroughly botched by French surgeon. I chose a diiferent surgeon for the second. I didn't have good convalescent care either.
Mind you, even if I'd thought of it I wouldn't have morally considered it on the cards.

It cost me a fortune too - even with insurance which doesn't cover everything.

What I don’t understand is why the argument that it will cost the NHS in extra admin staff to check the paperwork a valid excuse not to do anything. Surely the money that would be generated from correctly charging people from overseas would more than meet the cost?
Think how much money the government has made from charging overseas students fees of at least £20,000 a year. I know because I used to work in an international office at a university and part of my responsibility was checking paperwork to confirm their fee status. We were trained to deal with any queries in a pleasant but firm manner. It can and needs to be done by admin staff.

Oh and I would have no objection to having to show my passport if it meant that I no longer had to wait up to a year to see a consultant

Bakingmad- how could they do that as long as we don't have compulsory ID?

Jura 2
Good point but surely it’s time that we did for this and other reasons. I have lived abroad and never found it a problem, carrying ID Why is it a problem here?

It is not a problem as far as I am concerned, I have 2 passports and 1 identity card- 2 EHICs and my medical Insurance card.

I thought that there was clear legislation and guidance on charging and that for non-urgent, non- emergency care it has to be paid upfront. That’s why the Windrush man couldn’t have his cancer treatment. So maybe the problem is with not all hospitals implementing the system as they should. I can see that chasing debts once someone has returned home can be costly and difficult especially if the person concerned simply can’t afford it.

All non-British subjects entering this Country should have to produce proof of health insurance before being allowed in. For the time being, I suppose we will have to allow members of the EU in, but then they should have an European Medical card, E11 that was. Not sure what is now.

In the USA you will not get treatment unless you can prove that you can pay.

Time we got strong and not let foreigners take the Mickey. We are far too soft.

Vivian - it is now called EHIC - they will no longer be valid for Brits abroad, nor for EU citizens in UK.

There are a lot more Brits abroad in the EU, than t'other way round.

EHIC btw, is for emergency care only.

If the doctors don't want non residents to be charged for any medical treatment, perhaps they would like to cover the cost of their care themselves because it is certainly not fair for tax payers to provide an international health service for the rest of the world.

We don’t provide an international health service for the rest of the world. It’s more complex than that and there are different categories of entitlement. The fundamental problem is properly implementing the current legislation re paying upfront for non urgent and non emergency health care and for hospitals to be identifying and ensuring who should be paying. Because in most other countries payments are made at the time of treatment as a rule ( even if claimed back afterwards) they have systems in place in a way we don’t. Also I think most other countries have national ID which again we don’t. Of course it needs tightening up but I think there is some exaggeration by some posters on here.

Having worked in the NHS, I know categorically that people who have ‘emigrated’ to Spain for instance, still are registered with their English GP, come to the UK and visit their GP stocking up on certain drugs. Also ..... Asian people do much the same when visiting relatives in the UK ..... before anyone slates me, no, I’m not racist. Our NHS is so abused. I could go one ...... but won’t.

There are children not receiving treatment they need because oif underfunding . Have they totally lost their marbles . It’s just a free state for all .you wouldn’t mind if we were doing well but everything is underfunded but they have money for this

As you know, Granless- it is illegal to remain registered with your GP when moving abroad- and to use your free prescription card (mine is valid until 2025).

Just got out of a hospital in Greece after three days treatment and no charge. The EHIC card does cover this. I have heard that the trouble with the Uk is that they are not efficient enough at charging back to their country any treatment they give to non UK patients. I hope the Greeks do charge the UK as although I live here part of the year, I don’t pay any taxes towards health care.

I do find it trying that the moment anyone asks where the funding is coming from for this country to offer medical care to the entire planet there are screams of 'Brexiteers', 'Little Englanders' and general suggestions that those who ask are 'nasty people.' No country with any humanity would refuse to help someone who has an accident - unlike America for example . I am proud that we don't start rifling the pockets of a person lying in the road with a tyre mark across their chest, but for goodness sake - how can we offer medical care to everyone, and why should we? Any country is capable of setting up a similar National Insurance scheme - many have. I read of a rich American who had open heart surgery having collapsed while on holiday here; he got his credit card out to pay only to be told that there was no system to take his money. He made large donation to the hospital, but how many do that? Perhaps those who keep banging on about how unpleasant it is to charge foreign patients might like to explain how the funding is to work if we announce everything is free. It's certainly not free to the British public.

Rosina - we don’t offer health care to everyone. The American you mention received emergency care which is free. Of course it could be argued that we could then charge afterwards but that would only work if the person was insured.