NHS moves to extend charging to primary care:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The UK's Department of Health today announced proposed new criteria for determining who will be eligible to receive free NHS primary care. The document 'Proposals to exclude overseas visitors from eligibility for NHS primary medical services', out for consultation until August 13, includes an option to enable General practitioners to charge for such care as private patients. GPs currently have discretion over whether or not to register overseas visitors as NHS patients. The consultation aims to bring primary care regulations in line with those that govern access to free care in hospitals. From April 1, these were tightened to exclude certain groups of overseas visitors and business travellers with no substantial connection to the UK.