Fears of a Windrush scandal in the NHS for EU citizens

Doctors of the World is extremely concerned about the impact that the Withdrawal Agreement Bill will have on the health of vulnerable EU citizens and public health as a whole. MPs are currently debating the Bill in Parliament. If passed, it will entrench the EU Settlement Application route into UK law. EU nationals and their families will become subjected to the Hostile Environment. This could create a new, larger, Windrush scandal. And the most vulnerable will be facing the higher risks, such as elderly people and people experiencing homelessness. EU nationals who have not been able to apply for pre-settled or settled status will lose their lawful status in the UK. They will risk being excluded from healthcare and will be charged up-front for their care, or have treatment withheld if they can’t pay. This policy is likely to result in serious harm being done to patients: hospitals, which are already struggling to implement the current charging regulations, have denied lifesaving care to patients. Even those eligible for care are likely to face obstacles in accessing treatment. Under the Settlement Application scheme, EU citizens could have one of six types of immigration status, each corresponding to different entitlements to access NHS services. EU citizens will have to prove their status to be able to access secondary care, and hospitals will be put under the huge burden of having to check patients’ eligibility for care. In our London clinic, we see regularly cases w...
Source: Doctors of the World News - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news