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Proof of ID may be needed for NHS care, says health chief Proof of ID may be needed for NHS care, says health chief
(about 1 hour later)
Patients could have to show proof of identity to get some NHS care, the senior civil servant at the Department of Health has said.Patients could have to show proof of identity to get some NHS care, the senior civil servant at the Department of Health has said.
Chris Wormald said the the NHS has "a lot further to go" in reclaiming money for treating foreign visitors.Chris Wormald said the the NHS has "a lot further to go" in reclaiming money for treating foreign visitors.
He told the Public Accounts Committee it was a controversial move but already happening in some NHS trusts.He told the Public Accounts Committee it was a controversial move but already happening in some NHS trusts.
Committee chair Meg Hillier expressed concern that some British residents may not be able to provide sufficient ID.Committee chair Meg Hillier expressed concern that some British residents may not be able to provide sufficient ID.
'Big difference''Big difference'
Mr Wormald, permanent secretary at the Department of Health, which is responsible for the NHS in England, said: "We have some trusts that are looking at asking for two forms of ID before treatment.Mr Wormald, permanent secretary at the Department of Health, which is responsible for the NHS in England, said: "We have some trusts that are looking at asking for two forms of ID before treatment.
"Now that is obviously quite a controversial thing to do but... those are the kinds of things we want to look at."Now that is obviously quite a controversial thing to do but... those are the kinds of things we want to look at.
"We don't have evaluated results of those yet, but what those trusts are reporting is that does lead to an increase in identification.""We don't have evaluated results of those yet, but what those trusts are reporting is that does lead to an increase in identification."
He added: "There are individual trusts like Peterborough who are doing that, who are reporting that it makes a big difference and there you are saying 'Please come with two forms of identity, your passport and your address' and they use that to check whether people are eligible or not.He added: "There are individual trusts like Peterborough who are doing that, who are reporting that it makes a big difference and there you are saying 'Please come with two forms of identity, your passport and your address' and they use that to check whether people are eligible or not.
"Now it is obviously quite a controversial thing to do to say to the entire population 'You now have to prove identity'.""Now it is obviously quite a controversial thing to do to say to the entire population 'You now have to prove identity'."
'Humiliating and impossible''Humiliating and impossible'
Ms Hillier said she had constituents who had no photo ID.Ms Hillier said she had constituents who had no photo ID.
She said: "Because they have never travelled they have no passport; they have no driver's licence because they have never driven, they still live at home because they can't afford to move out so they've never had a utility bill in their name.She said: "Because they have never travelled they have no passport; they have no driver's licence because they have never driven, they still live at home because they can't afford to move out so they've never had a utility bill in their name.
"Perfectly entitled to health care, British born, British resident; how are you going to make sure that people have access easily to the National Health Service without having to go through a very humiliating and impossible to meet set of demands?""Perfectly entitled to health care, British born, British resident; how are you going to make sure that people have access easily to the National Health Service without having to go through a very humiliating and impossible to meet set of demands?"
Mr Wormald responded: "This is why we are going very slowly on some of these questions and individual trusts are trying these out."Mr Wormald responded: "This is why we are going very slowly on some of these questions and individual trusts are trying these out."
Visitors from the European Economic Area (the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) are usually covered by agreements under which their home country pays for treatment.
But the committee heard that according to official figures released earlier this year, in 2014-15 £674 million was charged to the UK government for the care of British citizens abroad, but the amount charged for the care of EEA nationals in British hospitals was only £49m.