London Trust:Advice Pregnant Women To Show Their ID Before Labor

Pregnant women could be forced to show their passports when they give
birth at NHS hospitals as part of a plan to crack down on "health tourism".

A pilot scheme run by St George’s University Hospitals Foundation Trust and backed by the Government will see every woman who arrives in their maternity wings having to prove she has the right to use the health Service.

The London trust said women would be asked for photo ID or proof that they live in the country permanently.

Due to a change in the law it will also be able to charge for the use of ambulance and A&E services if patients cannot prove their identity – unless it is an emergency or a matter of life and death.

St George’s said the measure was to combat the growing problem of maternity and health tourism  at UK hospitals and the “blanket” approach to all women was to avoid accusations of discrimination.

They highlighted a particular problem where con men have been found to be charging women from Nigeria to have babies on the NHS.

The proposals from a recent board meeting at the trust, seen by Health Service Journal , said: “At booking every patient will need to show a form of photo ID or proof of their right to remain (asylum status, visa, etc).

“Any patient who is unable to do this will be referred to the trust’s overseas patient team for specialist document screening, in liaison with the UK border Agency  and the Home Office.

Source:The Independent