NHS: Health Tourism

Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton Excerpts

Monday 28th May 2012 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, it is incumbent on NHS trusts when a patient presents directly to them to ensure that the person in front of them is entitled to NHS care, and they have various means of doing that. However, primary care in this country—care delivered by GPs—is not subject to any checks of that order.

[Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton]

My Lords, would somebody from anywhere in the world who had a British passport be entitled to NHS treatment were they to be in this country at the time of need?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, the answer is no because the entitlement to NHS care is and always has been dependent upon an ordinary residence test, so that the mere possession of a UK passport does not necessarily indicate that a person is ordinarily resident.