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Original poster

Health Tourism - woman has 5 babies on the NHS

545 replies

BlimmingCheek · 02/07/2011 22:44

AIBU to think that this woman is taking the bloody piss?

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3673011/Nigerian-mum-Bimbo-Ayelabola-flew-into-Britain-and-had-quins-on-the-NHS.html

I very much doubt she will be sent back. Who is paying her legal fees is what I would like to know?

Are we a soft touch or just a lovely compassionate country with enough resources for all?

OP posts:
pigletmania · 03/07/2011 14:26

alice we are not a free for all! Some of you think that the government has a bottomless pit of money which they do not! No I am not suggesting leaving people dying that is inhumane and wrong, someone has to take responsibility for this ladies actions and it should be HER government who does. Whether they do or not is another matter.

SlightlyEmbarrassedAndWorried · 03/07/2011 14:41

lachesis The Nigerian government should foot the bill, like the Kuwaiti government did for the couple in the ITV documentary. Just because she doesn't have the money, it doesn't mean her government doesn't.

Also, it is quite unfortunate that a majority of people read tabloids, but edam reporting a story is quite different from sensationalising a story and using provocative words like "I flew into Britain and had quins on the NHS...now we need to stay". That's not reporting. That is inticing anger in the ignorant people of Britain. I bet there are a million pieces of information that The Sun has omitted from that article to make it more shocking. Did she really get a visa the day after finding out she was pregnant? The visa process from countries like Nigeria are very time consuming and long - It takes at least 2 months from application to decision. Some things are not adding up with this story.

aliceliddell · 03/07/2011 15:43

The pit of money would have a stronger base if the tax evaders were reined in and big corporations (Vodafone, Barclays) paid more than derisory 1% p/a (Barclays 2010)

Gastonladybird · 03/07/2011 15:58

Alice suggest you check out cinnabar red tax thread for more on barclays rate . It's not as straight forward as all that

thefirstMrsDeVere · 03/07/2011 16:08

How lovely. Lots of beautiful healthy babies and a smiling healthy mum.

Yippee.

Thats what the story is about right?

I dont speak 'Sun'. My eyes go all wobbly when I try and make sense of it.

So I am assuming they are just happy this mum and her beautiful family are doing well.

rogersmellyonthetelly · 03/07/2011 16:27

Come on folks, this is a woman and five tiny babies. How would you feel if this was you? Or may be your sister? Your daughter? Yes she was foolish taking the drugs, but having had miscarriages, I can understand her desperation for a baby, and the actions that she might take to achieve that.
You want to send her home with no roof over her head, and no support to bring up five children? They will starve as she cannot work to provide for them. Is she really any different to some of the idle feckers in this country who have never worked a day in their lives and have large families at the states expense?

AuntiePickleBottom · 03/07/2011 16:28

I hope she is allowed to stay here until the babies are well enough to travel home

Catslikehats · 03/07/2011 16:37

When I was pregnant with DC3 I was living overseas. I returned to UK on the advise of my consultant due to complications that could not be dealt with where I was living.

Because I had been residing outside the UK I was unable to initially get free NHS treatment and had to pay to see a consultant privately.

This was despite paying tax in the UK (both PAYE and on rental income) at that time.

My consultant transferred my care back to the NHS and assured me he would do everything he could to ensure I did not have to pay and in the end I was not billed but I understand that was discretionary and I had no right to NHS treatment.

pigletmania · 03/07/2011 16:51

This woman is not a one off, there are plenty like her who come here purely to use the NHS.

catgirl1976 · 03/07/2011 16:52

How many?

pigletmania · 03/07/2011 16:52

I just cannot feel happy about it all, yes its good that they are all well, but i am not happy about the circumstances.

pigletmania · 03/07/2011 16:53

I am sure that there are many catgirl I remember watching a documentary about it a while back.

Gastonladybird · 03/07/2011 17:34

No real news on figures here

Riveninside · 03/07/2011 17:35

Its in The Sun! Reckon its even true?

catgirl1976 · 03/07/2011 17:37

What the Sun print a story that isn't true? Simply can't imagine it................

Gastonladybird · 03/07/2011 17:38

This is old but interesting indicating its not a huge issue and there are ways to manage it humanely health tourism ?

Gastonladybird · 03/07/2011 17:42

I expect it's true but selectively edited.

Nancy66 · 03/07/2011 17:43

I've read the story elsewhere, I'm confident it's true and The Guardian are just as likely to twist things to fit a left wing agenda as The Sun may be to do the opposite.

Gastonladybird · 03/07/2011 17:45

I agree Nancy- in brief search on this topic the thing that seemed to be missing was cold hard facts on numbers of non residents using Nhs and the cost.

alemci · 03/07/2011 17:47

I don't think it is right at all and she is taking resources which she is not entitled too. Perhaps her husband should have some backbone and take responsibility and pay the bill.

springbokscantjump · 03/07/2011 17:48

There aren't thousands of NHS tourists here. The NHS will provide emergency treatment for free but beyond that it bills the patient. Trust me. Decisions are made on not only what is the best emergency treatment but also what could this pt afford long term. There are however a fair few people from other EU countries receiving treatment to which they are perfectly entitled to under EU law.

I think that as a wealthy (yes we are) country with appropriate ideals and morals that we should continue to provide healthcare on this basis.

you · 03/07/2011 17:49

Just to add into the mix....

I'm a nurse and worked for quite a while in a NICU in Nigeria. Some of the hospitals there are fab, absolutely top of the range, and you wouldn't neccesarily get any better care here than you would do there.

If this woman and her husband managed to get Visas here, and afford the flights (which are very expensive), I'd wager that they could have afforded to have the babies there. It's really hard to come here from Nigeria unless you have a lot of money/ contacts, so I'm not sure the 'well done, you've given your babies the best chance at life' comments are that relavent really.

Having said that, I agree she should be allowed to stay till her babies are well enough to travel. I also suspect there's a lot more to this story that meets the eye.

Nancy66 · 03/07/2011 17:51

I'm glad the babies are doing well - I'm glad the mother is being cared for.
I don't blame her for seeking treatment here.

But i do think NHS tourism is a huge problem and I know from talking to obstetricians and gynaecologists that the immigrant birth explosion is a big cause for concern for the NHS - especially in some key cities.
I don't know what and answer to the problem is but it's naive to think it doesn't exist and naive to think that our grandchildren won't be paying the price for it

ENormaSnob · 03/07/2011 18:02

Must be very galling to those refused cancer treatment due to the postcode lottery.

catgirl1976 · 03/07/2011 18:03

No more galling than seeing an obese person get a gastic band operation I wouldn't think.

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