Report claims migrants cost NHS millions each year

The health service could save roughly 0.45 per cent of its annual budget by deterring “health tourists” and recovering care charges from overseas visitors, as well as charging temporary migrants for accessing the NHS, an independent report found.

Women who travel to the UK and give birth in an NHS hospital before returning home are estimated to cost the health service £70m each year.

There is limited evidence to suggest that migrants or short-term visitors are consuming large parts of the NHS budget. Dr Chaand Nagpaul

Experts have raised concerns about the escalating costs of health tourism, particularly across maternity services, oncology, HIV services, infertility, and in the treatment of renal failure.

A recent European Commission report debunked claims of “benefits tourism” which it found was “neither widespread nor systematic”.

Findings questioned

The latest independent report, conducted by Creative Research on behalf of the Department of Health, estimates that £388m could be recovered from NHS patients who should pay for care but are not always charged.

However, the chair of the British Medical Association’s GP committee, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, has queried the findings.

“There is limited evidence to suggest that migrants or short-term visitors are consuming large parts of the NHS budget,” he stated.

“The government’s estimates are based on a number of assumptions that result in a figure significantly higher than previous estimates.”

At present 16 per cent of this money is recovered by health service officials.

Immigration bill

The estimated total cost of visitors and temporary migrants accessing NHS services is between £1.9bn and £2bn – a figure that includes money already recovered.

The figures were released ahead of the second reading of the government’s immigration bill, which aims to stop potential migrant abuse of public services.

The bill will see temporary migrants, including overseas students, pay to access the NHS – along with a streamlined appeals process against deportation.

It’s time for action to ensure the NHS is a national health service – not an international one. Jeremy Hunt, health secretary

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that the NHS is a “national health service – not an international one” and pledged to identify a “more efficient system” of claiming back costs.

“We have one of the most generous systems in the world when it comes to health care for foreign visitors, but it’s time for action to ensure the NHS is a national health service – not an international one.

“With the NHS already under pressure from an ageing population, it cannot be right that large amounts of taxpayers’ money is being lost through treating people who should be paying from foreign countries.

“We are confident our new measures will make the NHS fairer and more sustainable for the British families and taxpayers it was set up to serve.”