NHS workers’ shocking health tourism abuse exposed as Parliament demands crackdown
Surgeons, consultants and doctors have all flown family members to the UK for treatment on cash-strapped NHS
NHS surgeons, consultants and doctors are guilty of shocking abuses of health tourism, bombshell evidence has revealed.
They have all flown relatives to Britain for treatment on our cash-strapped health service.
One surgeon is alleged to have admitted a foreign relative with a fractured hip directly from the airport to the hospital claiming the treatment was “immediately necessary”.
A coronary bypass was also cited as part of damning parliamentary evidence by Overseas Visitor Officers, who determine if patients from abroad are entitled to NHS treatment.
The revelations were uncovered in evidence submitted to the Public Accounts Committee by cancer specialist and former NHS consultant surgeon, J Meirion Thomas.
He is calling for a crackdown on health tourism “facilitators and accomplices”.
Prof Thomas said: “Health tourists will continue to abuse the NHS as it’s so easy.
Health insurance should be a compulsory requirement for a visitors visa.”
He said one OVO told him: “Abuse of the NHS by its own employees is common.
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“A GP brought his father for treatment saying he’d applied for asylum, a common ploy as they know it will involve a prolonged stay while the case is investigated.”
Another said: “We find NHS employees (including consultants) bringing family members to UK for expensive operations and getting them to register at a local surgery.”
And a third revealed: “A visitor needed a bypass. Sons are a doctor and a pharmacist.”
A Department of Health spokesperson said: “Any NHS staff member found to be doing this should be reported to the appropriate authorities.”
UK 'SOFT TOUCH'
HEALTH tourists travel from around the world to fleece the “soft touch” NHS.
Our investigation shows patients from over 50 nations top hospital league tables for largest unpaid bills. It also suggests the most ineligible patients come from Pakistan. Officials vowed to claw back £500million by next year but admit they will fall at least £150million short. Last week, The Sun revealed a Nigerian mum with quads cost £500,000.
A third to nab debt
PRIVATE debt collectors are making millions for recouping unpaid NHS bills from health tourists.
Global Recovery Alliance charges 32 per cent commission.
The company, based in Switzerland, now wants to take over all health tourism debt collection which is worth an estimated £300 million a year.
It has offered to cut its share to 25 per cent if it lands the work.