A hospital trust says it is cracking down on foreign visitors who are not eligible for free healthcare.
In line with national legislation, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust is introducing a ‘deposit’ payment scheme to ensure overseas visitors pay for any NHS treatment they receive.
It is also rolling out a policy that requires all patients to prove which country they live in before they are treated.
BHRUT’s director of finance Jeff Buggle said: “We know that many overseas visitors who are not eligible for free care have been using our services.
“The safety of patients is always our top priority, but we also have a legal obligation to seek payment for those not eligible for free NHS care.”
Anyone suspected of not living in the UK will be asked to pay for their care before they are treated.
If they refuse to pay they will be discharged.
The trust added that although maternity and emergency care services will never be withheld, patients will have to pay after they are treated if they live outside the UK.
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