The Spectator

Letters | 28 February 2013

issue 02 March 2013

Healing the world

Sir: We most warmly commend the courage of Professor Meirion Thomas (‘The next NHS scandal’, 23 February) in lifting the lid on the appalling abuse of the NHS by foreign visitors. It has been going on for years but has been covered up by the culture of fear that has pervaded that organisation. We stand ready to support the professor in parliament if that should prove necessary.

Regrettably, the present position is even worse than he described. The relevant quango (the Primary Care Commissioning group) issued instructions last July that GPs must accept an application for registration from any foreign visitor who is here for more than 24 hours as well as from all illegal immigrants. Thereafter the screening system for access to secondary care in hospitals is, as he describes, utterly feeble.

We accept that it is not the task of doctors, still less medical receptionists, to decide on eligibility.

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