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FOI Request 2292 - Overseas Visitors |
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Written by FOI Lead
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| Case Number |
2292 |
| Request Date |
15/03/2011 |
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Details of the Request
I am requesting the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
- Does the trust have a policy on the treatment of foreign nationals, where foreign nationals must pay for access to the NHS? One London trust for example stabilises patients and then quotes for any further treatment, and only carries out treatment if payment is received.
- If you have a policy can you send it to me/summarise it?
- Does the trust employ staff either specifically or as part of their job to ensure outstanding payments for medical treatment from foreign nationals is recovered?
- For example some trusts employ overseas visitor/managers/baliffs and if so, how many whole time equivalents are employed or does the trust outsource the role to external teams/debt collectors?
- Has your trust seen an increase in the amount owed by foreign nationals and if so, by how much?
- How much is the trust owed by foreign nationals in terms of unrecovered costs for the last year (or latest figure available)?
- How much income did the trust generate from overseas visitors who paid for treatment over the same period?
- What schemes does your trust have in place to recover payments from foreign nationals?
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| Completion Date |
19/05/2011 |
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Details of the Response
Thank you for your request to Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust regarding
- Does the trust have a policy on the treatment of foreign nationals, where foreign nationals must pay for access to the NHS? One London trust for example stabilises patients and then quotes for any further treatment, and only carries out treatment if payment is received. If you have a policy can you send it to me/summarise it?
No policy in place although The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989 and subsequent amendments are applied.
- Does the trust employ staff – either specifically or as part of their job – to ensure outstanding payments for medical treatment from foreign nationals is recovered? For example some trusts employ overseas visitor managers/bailiffs and if so, how many whole time equivalents are employed or does the trust outsource the role to external teams/debt collectors?
The Trust employs 1 full-time equivalent, namely a Debtors and Overseas Visitors Manager. Approximately 10% of their time is spent on Overseas Visitor work including interviewing/identifying patients and generating invoices. In the first instance debt collection is managed by NHS Shared Business Services and if they are unsuccessful there is the option of referring overseas debts to an external debt recovery agency.
- Has your trust seen an increase in the amount owed by foreign nationals and if so, by how much?
In 2009/10 the total invoices raised were £128k for overseas patients from countries covered by reciprocal agreements (all paid) and £101k for other overseas patients. Of this latter figure £75k has been written off, £23k was paid and £3k remains unpaid but is being paid in instalment. For 2010/11 see the response to question 5,
- How much is the trust owed by foreign nationals in terms of unrecovered costs for the last year (or latest figure available)?
As of 28th March 2011 £86k remained unpaid for the last year.
- How much income did the trust generate from overseas visitors who paid for treatment over the same period?
Invoices paid during the last year were £98k for overseas patients.
- What schemes does your trust have in place to recover payments from foreign nationals?”
See answers to questions 1 and 2 above.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 04 August 2011 10:49 )
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FOI Responses 
