NHS requires proof of eligibility to services

[Iloveantiques]

I've been referred by my dentist to the hospital.

Apparently because I am a new registration (nope, registered with NHS since birth) new to this area (nope, been here nearly 30 years) or a recent arrival to the UK (nope, never lived abroad) I have to prove my eligibility for services without charge.

Is this normal now? does the NHS really make hospitals check the eligibility of everyone newly referred?

I have emailed for an explanation but wondered if anyone else had come across this?

I honestly don’t think the firm is heavy handed but that is possibly because I know why all that information is needed.
I agree they should say only fill in this section if you’ve not lived the UK in the last x years etc.
I should be fairly obvious to most people though that if bits of the form don’t apply to you then you don’t need to fill them in.

This happened to me, understandably, because I am actually an immigrant. But it stressed me out a bit because I was given the form but no clear directions on who would want it or what proof, or when to present it. I was simultaneously renewing my visa early and was worried I wouldn’t have the documentation if both the hospital and the government wanted it at the same time.

Ultimately I gave a bunch of paperwork to and showed my permit to some unsuspecting person at the hospital who was kind enough to pass it on to the relevant person.

I've not been asked to provide proof of residence after a referral. Different trusts must have different rules, which seems odd.

The abuse of the NHS by those 'not ordinarily resident' or with 'no leave to remain' (overstayers or illegal entries) is out of control- especially in the larger cities.

I know this as I prosecute for identity fraud within NHS and a number of other statutory agencies providing services (schools, benefits, student loans etc)..
I am really heartened to see these sort of checks at last being made. Unless we stop this abuse by those not entitled we will lose the NHS

(These rules do not apply to A&E and neither should they - I am talking about planned use of NHS)

i agree smallereveryday. When some operations are having to be rationed because of shortage of funds, i dont see why we are treating people who arent eligable. I know several people who have required treatment in Europe and until they provided a credit card the hospitals wouldnt do anything....despite having the e45 card or whatever its called

I'm here on a spouse visa and I've only been asked to provide proof of eligibility once and it was for my son about 6 months after he was born.

i dont see why we are treating people who arent eligible
I think it’s right we treat everyone first and ask for payment after.

I don’t understand the problem here.
Either you are a resident and your treatment is free or you are not and you need to pay for it. They are not threatening to deny treatment.
Frankly having recently dealt with paying our local hospital, they were incredibly incompetent when it came to being paid. They seemed very surprised.
The NHS is very good value by the way. Not at all as horrifying as the American medical system.

At my local packed A&E, I watched as two different people in front of me tried to convince the staff they weren't just visiting the country. I overheard one talking and it was clear she was just visiting family for a few weeks. Neither had GP details.

Both were seen and got treated.

@CurbsideProphet unfortunately, every single trust has a different policy for every single thing you can imagine. The public view the NHS as one thing, but it's actually made up of 60k individual organisations. It's very, very hard to align them all - believe me, we're trying!

@W0rriedMum the NHS don't turn people away, what you won't have seen is the Overseas Visitors Team visiting them on the ward to explain their payment options.

Do most people not have a medical card number/health and care number? We have them in NI.

National ID card is the way to go.

@SherlockSays they were both trying to claim they lived here, despite it being clear neither did.
I hope you're right and the NHS recouped their costs, at least from the one from outside the EU.

At my local packed A&E, I watched as two different people in front of me tried to convince the staff they weren't just visiting the country
A&E treatment is free for everyone whether you are resident or not.

P.s. if they needed to be admitted or have follow up elective care then that’s chargeable.

It's not new and it's a good thing as far as I am concerned.
You wouldn't be able to walk into any other hospital anywhere else in the world and not be asked for payment or health insurance. Why should this country be any different?

It is right but unfortunately ime the heavy handedness is too often delivered to the wrong people and rarely accompanied with a "sorry but we have to ask this"

I think it’s right we treat everyone first and ask for payment after.

For emergency situations, yes, but I had three children, cancer treatment, and a heart operation all on the NHS. I am not British and do not sound British or European. Not once was I asked for proof of eligibility.

That’s an awful lot of money in medical treatment to be giving away for just one person who might not have been entitled to it**, especially as those funds might have been at the expense of someone who was eligible.

**as it happens, I am European and was entitled, but believe me no one would ever know it just by listening to me. I thought it was crazy.

It is right but unfortunately ime the heavy handedness is too often delivered to the wrong people and rarely accompanied with a "sorry but we have to ask this"

Why be sorry? If you belong to a gym, presumably you have to show your membership card at reception and they don’t apologise for asking. It’s essentially ensuring everyone belongs to Club NHS before using the facilities. Nothing to apologise for.

For emergency situations, yes, but I had three children, cancer treatment, and a heart operation all on the NHS. I am not British and do not sound British or European. Not once was I asked for proof of eligibility
All of those things has the potential to become emergency situations without treatment though. You are going to find it very hard to get UK doctors to sign up to risking people’s life’s because they can’t pay.

Interested that people say this is standard practice as I have never been asked to prove entitlement.

What happens if your council tax bill is more than 3 months old and you don't have other ID/paper bills? I would have thought that if you were referred from an NHS GP it's kind of clear you are already in the system?

Do most people not have a medical card number/health and care number? We have them in NI

yes in England too. Mine is locked away somewhere though, if I say went to a new NHS dentist it would not occur to me to get it out and take it with me (although now, having read this thread, it might).

I get asked at the dentist every time. Also when I join a new GP practice. Or go to a new pharmacy.
I haven't been asked by consultants etc. I have been asked to bring proof in a letter but then them not bothered check it though.
I think they are clamping down though. It seems much harder to do anything without the relevant numbers (NI, NHS) and ID (photo usually)

That form looks like it is aimed at a non-British citizen, is it possible that your records have your nationality wrong?