NHS ID scheme could deter eligible patients, say MPs

[Northerner]

A pilot scheme in which patients are asked to show two forms of identification before receiving NHS treatment could compromise access to care, parliament’s spending watchdog has said.

The public accounts committee urged caution before officials extend the scheme, saying it could lead to entitled patients staying away from hospitals. The MPs have also told the Department of Health to take urgent action to renew a “chaotic” system of recovering money from so-called health tourists.

Trusts are supposed to charge visitors from outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland for non-emergency hospital treatment. For patients from the EEA and Switzerland, trusts should recoup their costs through an insurance scheme.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/01/nhs-id-scheme-could-deter-eligible-patients-say-mps

 

[Ljc]

That means I and others like me would have a bit of a job. I don't drive, don't have a passport and utility bills are not in my name.

 

[Ljc]

And I think our GPs have enough to do anyway.

 

[Manda1]

I am the same I don't drive nor do I have a passport so what would I do ? Answers on a post card please x

 

[mikeyB]

Not from me. No passport, no driving licence, paperless utility bills. I don't exist.

 

[grovesy]

We had a similar discussion a few months back.

 

[mikeyB]

Aye, but it's like watching old episodes of Morse. You can remember the programme, but not who did it.

 

[trophywench]

LOL - yesterday they were talking about ID cards generally on our Motorhome forum. One pathetic creature thought his idea was not only infallible, but absolutely 100% acceptable to all. Everyone, but everyone, must use their photocard driving licence as their official ID.

I wondered whatever he expected blind people to do .... amongst millions of others who would be excluded!

What might actually be useful and acceptable to most at least, might be a card with your NHS number on it? - just like we all used to have!

 

[Ralph-YK]

I am the same I don't drive nor do I have a passport so what would I do ? Answers on a post card please x

Please prove what your address is please. Yes, ID.

 

[Amigo]

Don't people have prescription exemption cards, debit cards, library cards, NI number, travel cards, birth certificate?


There's such a drain by 'health tourists', I can see the need.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Don't people have prescription exemption cards, debit cards, library cards, NI number, travel cards, birth certificate?

Birth certificates are no use. Mine (all four copies) shows someone was registered 53 years ago. Doesn't tell you it's me. Doesn't show that person lived a month.
Anyone can walk into local office (not even the right one) and get a copy. I have, as I didn't have a copy (my mum had it) and had been asked for one. Then, seveal years later needed it again. Of course couldn't find the first one so got another. Then when mum had a clear our actually gave me here copy.

Library cards and travel cards are not accepted. My travel card has my photo on and post code and it's not accepted.

Amazon won't accpted bank and card details as proof of ID. I'd started sell through them. They then wanted ID. Passport, ID Card etc. Even though they had my bank detials and address (they'd been sending things to me for years).

 

[Amigo]

This is to deter 'health tourists' who are estimated to cost the NHS £2 billion a year!

Everyone gets seen to at A&E regardless as an emergency but this is to stop people flying in to receive operations and health care that they don't qualify for. I have enough medical letters to decorate a house all with my NHS number on and when I go to hospital, I've been referred by my GP surgery. We all have NHS numbers and NI numbers.
If people are saying they have absolutely no means of proving who they are then it strengthens the case for ID cards. It's hard to believe people don't receive any letters whatsoever demonstrating they've been resident here for over 6 months even if it's a rent book, insurances or mortgage card.

We just can't afford to pay for the people who deliberately mis-use our NHS and I think we all need to play our part in eradicating it.

When I needed treatment in Spain, they wouldn't look at me without identification.

 

[trophywench]

When I needed treatment in Spain, they wouldn't look at me without identification.

This is what I can never get my head round, Amigo. Nobody elsewhere in Europe (forget the EU, nob all to do with this as it's exactly the same 'thing' as applied before the E111, even and still applies) can get anything out of a doctor or a hospital without suitable ID - you HAVE to produce your passport. I'm not saying they'd demand it if you had a cardiac arrest before they tried to revive you - but as you are sposed to carry it with you at all times - they'd certainly and legitimately, expect to see it SOON.

And eg in France, French people all carry ID cards, and they have to produce them, even when they are eg diabetic and their doctor has known all about them for decades - you still have to flash your card at the receptionist to prove that you are you before you can go in to see him for your regular monthly pre-booked visit or whatever you went for!

So I cannot for the life of me see what anyone can possibly object to in terms of carrying one in the first place.

Yeah yeah what if they are forged, what if there's someone from Zumbaslavia who's an illegal immigrant pretends they're me, what if they cunningly implant all your bank account details on it and fraudsters skim millions off my bank account blah blah blah - well surely they are much more likely to do that if I lose my own bank card or broadcast my internet banking details in another way, in what way, for what reason, would this be any more dangerous for me than it already is?

 

[mikeyB]

I have no problem with an ID card. Everyone had one during the war, and democracy didn't collapse. I think it's almost bound to happen when we exit the EU. After all, we are already the most watched population on the planet, the most listened to by nefarious means. Objecting to ID cards is hardly a dent to our freedom.

 

[Ralph-YK]

I have enough medical letters to decorate a house all with my NHS number on and when I go to hospital, I've been referred by my GP surgery. We all have NHS numbers and NI numbers.

I've never understood how (most letters) prove id, certainly not your id.
NI may, possibly, show officaldoms acceptance of a persons existence. How do you prove that's you though. And anyone you provided the number to would have to be able to check it. Weeks, unless done by computer. And we all know what government projects are like. And computer systems.
As for NHS number, I didn't know they even existed till three years ago.

... a rent book, ....

I've been renting for years and don't remember having one.

It's hard to believe people don't receive any letters whatsoever demonstrating they've been resident here for over 6 months ...

Why? I wouldn't expect people to receive mail that shows that. I don't. Unless you mean mail from six month ago or more that I've kept. I know people who don't keep any mail for a day.

 

[Ralph-YK]

How do you prove what your ID is in the first place, for it to be put on an id card? What happens when officialdom gets it wrong?
And what actually is an ID anyway? Seriously! Is any of you able (and willing) to say? Never had anyone try to tell us that.

 

[mikeyB]

Well, there's many a doctor and surgeon who has treated me, prodded me, scoped me who know exactly who I am.

Oh, that's where we started....

 

[Northerner]

I've heard some very conflicting evidence about the impact of 'health tourism' and have to wonder whether it's simply being used as a distraction from the much greater problems experienced by the NHS, in the same way that benefit fraud has been used to vilify all benefit claimants I'm sure it's an actual problem, but doubt that adding more bureaucracy will solve it or save the NHS 🙄

I remember when I worked for Saga their insurance department had a problem with Brits taking their holidays and insurance to go to the US because they would get certain treatments, or faster, over there and then claim, so some premiums were astronomical - didn't dissuade everyone though! 😱

 

[Ditto]

I always thought ID cards were an excellent idea. It would end a lot of fraud surely? Don't know how we'd prove who we were initially though.

 

[Ljc]

I personally wouldn't mind having an ID card. I think identity fraud would go up though.