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Barking Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust

Volume 494: debated on Monday 15 June 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by the Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust on debt collection agencies in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. (279081)

The information requested is not collected centrally. The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this directly with Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many foreign nationals who have not provided payment to the NHS towards the cost of their treatment have had children treated in (a) NHS trusts in England and (b) Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust in each of the last five years. (279082)

It is not possible to provide the information requested. Successive governments have not required the national health service to provide statistics on the number of foreign nationals seen, treated or charged under the provisions of the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989, as amended, nor any costs involved.

The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this directly with Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust to obtain data from that trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will hold discussions with representatives from the Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust on payments owed to the Trust by foreign nationals. (279083)

The recovery of payment owed to national health service trusts by foreign nationals for treatment provided to them is a matter for the individual trust. The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989, as amended, set out the criteria for eligibility for free NHS hospital care. It is the legal responsibility of all hospital trusts to ensure that the eligibility of all patients seeking treatment is confirmed and, if they are not eligible for free healthcare, that the appropriate charges for treatment are levied and subsequently recovered. The Department has provided comprehensive guidance on implementation of the charging regulations to help the NHS to discharge their responsibilities.