Expensive Chief Government Prof Clive Kay and Board Members of King’s School Hospital NHS Basis Belief,
We, the undersigned, name on you to face up for the rights of individuals dwelling in our group in want of healthcare. We ask that you just droop charging for NHS therapy within the Belief and completely consider the influence of abroad customer insurance policies on sufferers and employees.
As you might be conscious, underneath the phrases of the Immigration Act (2014), NHS Hospitals are obliged to determine sufferers with out the fitting immigration standing and cost them as much as 150% of the price of their care. In October 2017 a requirement was launched for charging to happen upfront, earlier than therapy is acquired.
These rules have a devastating impact, creating a hostile environment by which individuals are too scared to hunt the care they want and are typically simply turned away. Patients then present later, in poorer health, and have worse outcomes. The results can be deadly. That is true even for pregnant individuals and kids. These insurance policies put clerical and clinical staff in an unacceptable position as extensions to the UK border pressure, undermining belief and knowledgeable responsibility of care.
ID checks and charging for NHS care immediately contravene the Belief’s values of being a sort, respectful workforce and are in opposition to the ‘Sturdy Roots, International Attain’ technique. The technique places ‘variety, equality and inclusion on the coronary heart of every little thing we do’ and makes a dedication to proactively sort out well being inequalities, be an anchor locally and ‘act decisively to ship extra equitable experiences and outcomes’. Chargeable sufferers are generally essentially the most marginalised in our group, typically fleeing violence and persecution in their very own international locations. We name on King’s to behave decisively to make sure everybody in our group feels welcome and capable of entry the care they want.
We name on you to:
1. Droop migrant charging for NHS therapy within the Belief with quick impact.
2. Correctly consider the influence of charging on affected person care – Undertake detailed analysis into the influence of charging on sufferers’ well being and on the Belief’s commitments to its core values. Examine how charging insurance policies battle with different authorized obligations together with the skilled duties of care employees have in the direction of their sufferers, and any ensuing ethical damage.
3. Urgently assessment all lively charging circumstances, together with these which were handed to debt collectors:
Guarantee sufferers’ well being and wellbeing will not be put in danger by the Belief’s implementation of charging insurance policies, and make sure that the Belief is assembly its safeguarding duties to all sufferers – significantly those that are susceptible to destitution and discrimination.
4. Name on the Authorities to droop migrant charging within the NHS:
Symbolize the intense considerations of healthcare staff, sufferers and group organisations to the Division of Well being and make a public assertion on the truth that charging undermines the Belief’s dedication to assist the well being of all in our group.
Watch a video made by the Lambeth and Southwark Patients Not Passports coalition that includes employees, sufferers and guests sharing their views from June 2022.