The figures do not include treatment for those who migrate to this country
from elsewhere in Europe.
Other countries include Italy, which received £11m but returned £850,000;
Greece, which collected £8m and paid back £500,000; and Spain, which
received £247m while sending Britain £3.2m.
Julia Manning, chief executive of the independent research think tank
2020health said: “The fact that the NHS fails to keep proper records of
overseas visitors who come here from the EU is indicative of two problems:
the reluctance of staff to think of the NHS as a business that should be run
as efficiently as possible, and a system which depends on governments
chasing reimbursement, rather than visitors paying up front and being
responsible for ensuring they are repaid.â€
The Department of Health said that some of the difference could be explained
by the fact that more pensioners from the UK retire overseas, yet are
classed as “non-permanent residents†– meaning EU countries can claim
payment for their healthcare – while fewer foreign pensioners come to the UK
to retire.
EU migrants who work in the UK are classified as being resident here and
qualify for free NHS health care, meaning that if they travel back to their
homeland for health care they are considered UK citizens and the bill is
sent back here to be picked up by the NHS.
A spokesman for the Department of Health said: “Last year we began a wholesale
review of the current system to address concerns about access, cut down
abuse and consider how best to ensure those who should pay do so.
“We are looking at a range of options and will set out proposals in due
course.â€
