Can they have it both ways - BMA

16.51.21 Bakingmad yes, absolutely, it shouldn't be beyond us as a country to collect monies owed to the NHS.

Lemongrove I think the problem is the disparity between different trusts in collecting money owed. I really can’t understand why that is - there doesn’t seem to be any overall check on what’s happening across the board. I’d guess it must be top down attitudes as to the importance attached to collecting the money.

There seems to be two aspects to this - collecting the money from individuals who should pay ( non EU visitors ) and secondly invoicing other EU countries for their citizens
( when tourists) health care costs. The first step to this is actually identifying people in both groups. If that doesn’t happen, the whole thing falls - back to ID cards.

Rosina - we don’t offer health care to everyone
But that is what the BMA proposes; its leader, Dr Jackie Appleby states that it is 'fundamentally racist' for the NHS to charge overseas visitors for treatment.

The BMA decision was just a conference motion - there is absolutely no way that this will,chsnge Government policy. If anything it has brought the problem to the fore again and the Government and NHS England should be ramping up their efforts to tackle the issues more effectively. The BMA is a trade union - trade union conference motions are not going to chsnge Government policy are they? No matter what the trade union says. I still think some of this as about the bad blood between the BMA and the DH

In France we have our Carte Vitale which we have to produce at all medical appointments. This is proof of the care we are entitled to. It has been suggested that in future this card also provides the EHIC element so that we can get free care in participating countries.
The UK would do well to have a similar card but it would mean a complete overhaul of the system which no Government wants to take on.

In France, you also have to have identity cards and provide such when required (used to be until not long ago, that everyone had to carry one with them at all times, and produce to police, etc, on demand).

That has not been the case for quite a few years now. Jura2

@GrumpyGran8 but international students do have to pay fees up front just EU citizens who do not. They are the ones who sometimes borrow from our government and then go home without paying. What I am saying is that all students should get loans from their own country. That way if they do not repay it does not affect us.

Sodapop I agree such a card would solve a lot our of problems and should be implemented into law. In UK problem is that medics treat all people whether UK citizens or not.