§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what systems are in place to(a) identify and (b) collect payment from illegal immigrants and others who use the national health service and are subject to the charges to overseas visitors regulations 1989, as amended; [80955]
(2) if he will set out the total amount collected by the NHS under the NHS charges to overseas visitors regulations in each of the last three years for which records exist; and if he will make a statement. [80956]
§ Ms BlearsThe National Health Service is first and foremost for the benefit of people who live in the United Kingdom. A person who is not ordinarily resident in the UK but who requires NHS hospital treatment is subject to the provisions of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989, as amended [in 1991 (SI No: 438), 1994 (SI No: 1535), 2000 (SI No: 602), 2000 (SI No: 909)].
These regulations place a duty on NHS trusts to establish the residential status of all patients. Where an NHS trust identifies a person who is not ordinarily resident in the UK and is not otherwise exempt from charge then the regulations provide for the making and recovery of a charge by the trust for most types of hospital treatment.
The amounts collected from NHS charged patients are not separately identifiable in trust accounts and are not collected centrally.