Migration crackdown: Pilot scheme to see GP patients asked for proof of nationality

The Department of Health plans to launch a scheme to identify migrants who are accessing the NHS services.

17:37 05 February 2015

The Department of Health will launch pilot schemes where patients will be asked for proof of nationality in a bid to help recover costs of their healthcare from their home countries.

GP’s magazine Pulse revealed that everyone who enrolls in the 10 areas involved in the pilots will be required to present a valid European Health Insurance Card to receive any type of service.

A spokesperson for the DoH said: "We are absolutely committed to improving the way the NHS recovers costs from international visitors for primary care.

"We're now planning to pilot different ways of doing this effectively without burdening busy GPs."
According to Pulse, the note says: "Two consultations will be launched in the Spring to look further at extensions to charging.

"There are plans to start an EHIC pilot in primary care, to encourage the collection of EHICs, increase identification of chargeable patients and increase the engagement of GPs with the cost-recovery programme generally.

"GPC will be involved with a view to starting the pilot as early as possible."