§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what rights to free National Health Service treatment in the United Kingdom(a) nationals of European Economic Community countries and (b) non-European Economic Community nationals have; and on what agreements and so on they are based.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyAll visitors to the United Kingdom are subject to at least the same charges for treatment within the NHS as United Kingdom residents. The NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1982 set out the basis on which charges should be applied in the case of patients not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom but also provide for exemptions inter alia from some charges for nationals or residents of other countries with which the United Kingdom has reciprocal health agreements, including the arrangements under the European Community social security regulations. The latter require that EC nationals visiting another member state be provided with immediately necessary treatment, the need for which arose during a visit, on the same basis as nationals of the host member state; they also provide 727W for EC member states to refer patients elsewhere in the Community specifically for treatment of pre-existing conditions. The costs incurred in respect of all such treatments for EC nationals are ultimately met by the patients' home state. The United Kingdom has bilateral reciprocal health agreements with 25 non-EC states, all of which cover immediately necessary treatment; 11 also allow for a limited number of referrals specifically for treatment for pre-existing conditions. These agreements provide for each of the signatories to meet the cost of the treatment provided in its own territory.
Any visitor to the United Kingdom may apply to use the general medical services in the same way and on the same conditions as those who are ordinarily resident here. It is a matter for the discretion of the individual practitioner whether to accept someone for treatment as an NHS patient.