'Immigrants deterred from seeking NHS care' reveals BMA report

Tuesday 23rd April 2019 08:01 EDT
 
 

The British Medical Association (BMA) has recently published a report where it has concluded that some pregnant women were going without antenatal and postnatal care for the fear of being charged. According to the same report, the patients were informed of the four-figure charges just before having surgery.

The BMA report is based on a survey of members’ experiences of the effect of upfront charging. Of the 285 respondents to a question about the deterrent effect of charging, 35% said patients were being deterred from accessing care, while 24% said they were not.

Upfront charging for NHS care is deterring immigrant patients from seeking treatment, including for serious illnesses such as cancer, fresh evidence from doctors reveals.

In one case, a patient reportedly did not seek cancer treatment because she was ineligible for free NHS care, and died as a result. The NHS introduced upfront charges for elective care in 2017 as part of the government’s “hostile environment” towards immigrants.

The BMA is calling for a full independent review into the impact of NHS charging, together with new exemptions and safeguards.


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