§ Mr. ShersbyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what are the existing requirements to provide evidence of entitlement to hospital treatment under the national health service to prevent fraudulent applications by foreign nationals and others who have not contributed financially by means of national health insurance payments; if he will review the effectiveness and fairness of the present arrangements; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what information is a prospective patient required to supply when seeking hospital treatment under the national health service to satisfy the admission staff that he or she is entitled to treatment free at the point of delivery.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyEligibility to free hospital treatment is based on residence in the United Kingdom, not on the payment of national insurance contributions or taxes. Anyone not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom has to pay for national health service hospital treatment unless he or she is covered by one of a number of specific exemptions.
Guidance issued by the Department makes it clear that, when there is doubt about eligibility, hospital staff should ask for evidence to support a claim to exemption from charging. The information prospective patients are required to supply will vary according to the type of exemption that applies.