Andrew Turner has discovered that almost £7m was written off by 121 NHS Trusts in England for medical treatment given to foreigners in the financial year 2009/10. The figure was revealed in the answer to a parliamentary question asked by Mr Turner. It represents 30% of the total value of treatment provided to foreign nationals who do not qualify to receive free treatment on the NHS.
The cost of emergency treatment and treatment for a range of infective diseases is excluded. Data from most of the 138 organisations classed as NHS Foundation Trusts is not included as information is not collected centrally.
Figures for the Isle of Wight were not included due to the unique set-up of NHS care on the Island. However, the Island’s NHS has provided figures to the Island’s MP showing that £2,280 was written off out of a total of £10,287 in 2009/10 and since 1997/98 a total of £5,436 has been judged as unrecoverable against invoices of £109,166.
Mr Turner said:
“Nationally, these are very worrying figures. It has been calculated that £7m could pay for an extra 300 nurses and this is just part of the picture, the actual figure will doubtless be much, much bigger. Looking at the local situation there are wide variations. In just one year Portsmouth wrote off over £41,000 and Southampton a whopping £170,000 – 37% of their total.
“The UK has been a prime destination for health tourists. We run a National Health Service, but some people have been treating it as an international service. It is quite simple; those who haven’t paid a penny in shouldn’t be able to get non-emergency treatment without paying for it.
“The Government issued new guidelines in August this year to tighten the rules and prevent abuse of the system. They have also announced that anyone who owes the NHS more than £1,000 will not be allowed to stay in the country or get a visa to visit the UK. I welcome those developments as this is a problem that desperately needs to be tackled.”
END Contact : Andrew Turner’s office 01983 530808
Link to Parliamentary Question and Answer http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110711/text/110711w0004.htm#1107125000093
Figures for Isle of Wight NHS
Total Invoices Raised Write-Offs Outstanding Amounts Income
1997/98 £6,085.00 £6,085.00
1998/99 £4,868.00 £4,868.00
1999/00 £14,006.40 £14,006.40
2000/01 £4,243.12 £4,243.12
2001/02 £12,295.18 £12,295.18
2002/03 £10,091.00 £10,091.00
*2003/04 (£975.43) (£959.00) (£1,934.43)
2004/05 £10,494.21 £10,494.21
2005/06 £12,056.78 £12,056.78
2006/07 £2,586.00 (£4.58) £2,581.42
2007/08 £7,409.00 (£1,526.40) (£2,530.00) £3,352.60
2008/09 £8,383.00 (£667.00) (£2,405.00) £5,311.00
2009/10 £10,287.28 (£2,280.00) £8,007.28
2010/11 £7,336.71 (£4,929.00) £2,407.71
£109,166.25 (£5,436.98) (£9,864.00) £93,865.27
* Some of the credits raised relate to previous years hence negative income.
