Non-EU patients ‘should be charged for GP services’

• Politics lecturer Dr Clara Sandelind comments on the Government’s announcement that overseas visitors should be forced to pay for using some GP services as well as ambulances and A&E care.

Charging migrants for the NHS is all about symbolism

“THE Government’s proposal to charge non-EU migrants and visitors for a range of GP services is mainly addressing concerns amongst the public rather than real problems.  There is very limited evidence that so called ‘health tourism’ constitutes a burden on the NHS, which even the report commissioned by the government admit.  The Government has already introduced charges of 150% of costs on migrants for non-emergency treatment.  Migrants, who generally contribute more to the economy than they take out, thus pay overblown prices for healthcare in order for the Government to look “tough on immigration”.

From an ethical point of view, there is nothing wrong with charging grown-up, capable newcomers for the NHS during a limited period of time.  Welfare states are naturally bounded so may conflict with large-scale immigration.  Putting contributions at the fore of the immigration and welfare state relationship may calm some worries about immigration.  For those positive towards immigration, restricting access to free health care may be a trade-off worth accepting if it means migrants can keep coming.

Yet the immigration debate has always been about perception rather than reality.  Myths about “benefit tourism” and the economic impact of immigration are widespread, even though they are contradicted by almost every piece of evidence.  So even if the Government’s policies are mainly symbolic, we should all be worried when policy is based on countering inflated or even false perceptions of reality.  The new policies may open up marginalising debates about who is deserving of the NHS and who is not and harm vulnerable migrants on low incomes.  And adding more bureaucracy to the NHS is not necessarily going to save money.”

Read the full story on the BBC News website.

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