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Wednesday 3rd December 2008 Make us your HOME PAGE  What is RSS?
 
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ARTICLE SUMMARY

Should foreign patients pays for NHS care?

ONE in three hospitals are failing to make foreign patients pay for their care, even though it is costing taxpayers tens of millions of pounds a year.

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PAY BEFORE YOU STAY

25.05.08, 8:35am

Foreign patients should pay for their health care. What rights do they have to demand free care. Many people, myself included, have to wait for disgraceful amounts of time for hospital appointments so why should they receive preferential treatment when they have not paid into the system. It's very fine and dandy being the world's conscience but not when we cannot afford it.

• Posted by: Globetrottinggranny • Report Comment

SHOULD FOREIGN PATIENTS PAYS FOR NHS CARE?

16.05.08, 12:22am

Not only should they pay but there should be compulsary health screening before anyone is allowed into the uk

• Posted by: treehugger • Report Comment

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THANKS MAGGIE

14.05.08, 2:25pm

That is the main problem, there are people arriving here every day from all over the world with God knows what diseases.

These diseases left unchecked can spread, like the story I mentioned about the 2 year old girl with pulmonary TB, which is passed on from one person to another. Some TB isn't, but surely we should be re-introducing the BCG to counteract the chance of our children catching it.

We had virtually got rid of TB, now it is back wilth a vengeance - along with other diseases that are expensive to treat.

Why should the British taxpayer have to fund treatment for people just arriving here? Or living here for years and passing on their disease to innocent British people?

A health check on anyone proposing to live here should be a MUST for the authorities.

We cannot afford to keep treating people for HIV, Aids, Hepatitis and TB when they haven't made any contribution to the system.

We wouldn't be allowed that if we left this country and discovered we had those problems, so WHY are we picking up the tab for the worlds problems by paying for foreigners health care?

We have enough problems of our own with cancer, alzheimers etc., where CHARITIES have to pay for hospices etc., rather than rely on Government funding.

I know this, because this happened to my family, and I get regular newsletters asking for donations.

Our NHS should be for OUR people. It is after all called the NATIONAL health service, not the WORLD health service.

If foreigners need to use the system as an emergency, well that cannot be avoided, but for continuation of treatment/care, they should be obliged to pay - upfront - so they can't do a runner when the bills land on the doormat.

• Posted by: SandieL • Report Comment

I SECOND YOUR COMMENT SANDIEL

14.05.08, 1:23pm

In the fifties I was in hospital with TB, then the numbers of TB cases rose rapidly with people coming in from countries where the disease was rampant,we wer then fortunate to have the drugs to contain it up to a point or else it was off to a sanitarium.
The consultant and the ward doctor came into speak to us about the disease one afternoon saying that although we had the drugs to treat it we must never be complacent and stop testing
people (there were mobile vans that used to visit businesses and schools making the tests,) because one day a strain would arrive for which we would not have the drugs to cope with it, he was not wrong , what has made me very cross is that I fought that disease and now my children and grandchildren are at risk with the rise of TB cases for the same reason as it was then. Prevention is always better than cure
we have no health checks on arrivals

• Posted by: Maggie • Report Comment

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I'M ANNOYED AGAIN TODAY....

14.05.08, 1:18am

About the little girl who has pulmonary TB, which wasn't recognised by the doctors at the hospital or by her GP.

Foreigners coming into this country are bringing diseases which had virtually been eradicated here.

There must be millions spent on diseases which are not normally found in this country, but being brought in....

If British people go on holiday and need hospital treatment, they have to pay, so why the hell shouldn't foreigners pay for treatment here??

Why isn't Jock McBroon licking his lips at the prospect of all of the money that could be generated by charging non UK citizens??

What the hell is his agenda, making this country a bloody soft touch for all visitors, yet making it a living hell for people actually born here??

And it is just so bloody funny that when he retires to Scotland, everything is free up there for his return....

What a two faced double standards git!

He gives the Scots a bad name, and I live near Scotland and love the Scottish people, so it pains me to say that.

I would love him to be voted out of his constituency cos even his own people must want rid of him now.

• Posted by: SandieL • Report Comment

WHAT, WITH OUR PEOPLE HAVING TO PAY AND GO ABROAD FOR OPERATION S TO EASE THEIR PAIN

14.05.08, 12:03am

This makes a mockery of the whole system, because we are expected to support the world and his wife which creates another unfair situation, people who can afford to go elsewhere for treatment are,in effect, jumping the queue in front of those who cannot afford to pay.This should not be, the NHS was supposed to look after us from the cradle to the grave,All Of US, it was never envisaged as an International Health Service which it has been allowed to become, where else does it happen in the world.
We must say NO,its our money,.

• Posted by: Maggie • Report Comment

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LYDIA REID

10.05.08, 11:00pm

You are right,
Cancer patients should not have to wait, they are dying before our eyes.
I have lost a family member to cancer, she was told it was just arthiritus, gradually got worse, went into hospital and was no longer with us six weeks later.
She was riddled with cancer.
So it goes to show that it is affecting us , when the *other poeple* do not pay.

• Posted by: sophialoren • Report Comment

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WHEN CANCER PATIENTS WAIT FOR TREATMENT AND DIE YES

10.05.08, 8:52pm

In this country children and adults wait so long for treatment they can die waiting.

If all non-residents had to pay they would not book holidays here to have medical treatment.

Adult cancer patients wait to see consultants, they wait for scans, they wait for treatment.

BELIEVE ME THEY DIE WAITING.

Until we get some common sense into out systems they will continue dying

• Posted by: LYDIA_REID • Report Comment

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WELL THANKYOU MARIGOLD

10.05.08, 6:05pm

It is very alarming in this day and age , when people are so scared to go into hospital, because of all this bacteria around.
Take leslie ash for instance,
Im sure you are a beautiful person, inside and out.
Hope to be back later.

• Posted by: sophialoren • Report Comment

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SOPHIALOREN

10.05.08, 2:20pm

I have a neighbour that refuses to have a hip replacement in spite of the pain he has.
He has decided to opt for pain relief and a scooter to help home get around.
He simply cannot face the prospect of infection.
I find it sad that in this day and age we are still having massive problems with bacterial control.

Anyway its obvious you are well and healthy.
You look beautiful !

• Posted by: marigold • Report Comment

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SHOULD FOREIGN PATIENTS PAYS FOR NHS CARE?

10.05.08, 12:49pm

If I visit a doctor or hosspital in the EU I have to present my NHS card so they can claim the money from the NHS any shortfalls I must pay up front.
When visiting anywere country outside the EU I must pay up front for any treatment I recieve, any one from any country in the world can arrive here for treatment and get it free.
No treatment should be given unless it is paid for in advance to any foreign national
It is a well known fact that in South Africa that it is cheaper to take a holiday in the UK then get treatment whilst you are here, the trip to vthe UK is cheaper than paying the hostpital bills in SA.

• Posted by: mike1951 • Report Comment

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SPOT ON MARIGOLD

10.05.08, 11:14am

Thank god i am fit healthy, and dementia has not kicked in yet!
I would be very afraid if i had to go in hospital, what with MRSA, ETC, plus the language barrier.

• Posted by: sophialoren • Report Comment

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OUR HEALTH SERVICE

10.05.08, 11:01am

Was once the envy of the world.
It is now a lottery of hit and miss diagnosis and treatments.
The last time I had to visit a hospital I couldnt understand a word the doctor said. After asking himself to repeat it and still didnt know what he was saying I gave up.
So he may have said come back in 6 months or you have 6 months to go ! Well time will tell !

• Posted by: marigold • Report Comment

FOREIGN PATIENTS SHOULD PAY

10.05.08, 7:48am

Foreign Patients should be made to pay before they receive treatment, not bill them afterwards. That way the NHS would have enough to pay for the cancer treatment that citizens of this country need, rather than denying them life saving drugs. sign the petition
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/cancer-drugs-all/

• Posted by: steffy14 • Report Comment

SHOULD FOREIGN PATIENTS PAYS FOR NHS CARE?

09.05.08, 9:42pm

Yes, and no more of this 'Get me another doctor' rubbish, especially on religious grounds. If they don't want the doctor they can have a refund and leave.

• Posted by: legalal • Report Comment

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