NHS left with huge £252 million blackhole of unpaid costs from overseas patients

The NHS has failed to recover more than £250 million from overseas patients in three years, according to a new report. The research by the Policy Exchange think tank found that the health service charged £384 million to patients from overseas between 2021 and 2024, but £252 million has not been paid.

Tory former health secretary Sir Sajid Javid warned that "asking those who pay for the NHS to shoulder the cost for those who haven't made the same contribution is fundamentally unfair". In a foreword to the report, he said: "The NHS is one of our most precious national institutions because it reflects the values at the heart of our society.

"That includes the principle of fairness. Everyone contributes to our health service according to their means, and in return everyone is cared for according to their need. Break that model, and you weaken the social contract on which services like the NHS depend.

"This sobering report from Policy Exchange demonstrates why that principle is under threat. The rules on who can expect free treatment are clear under law.

"If you are resident in the UK, you are eligible. If you are an overseas visitor who does not meet the criteria, you are not."

He said the NHS "is not a charity", adding: "It is not an international aid organisation. It is a public service - funded out of the hard-earned money of British taxpayers, for the benefit of British taxpayers."

The report makes a series of recommendations to tackle the issue including requiring NHS trusts to publish annual figures, league tables of the best and worst trusts, and stripping bonuses from bosses of trusts who fail to collect at least 50% of overseas fees.

It also calls for the Home Office to refuse visas to any applicants with outstanding NHS charges.

The £252 million shortfall is equivalent to paying the annual salaries of 3,200 GPs or building 68 new GP surgeries.

The 10 worst performing trusts accounted for £143.4 million, which is over half of the total unrecovered.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "Overseas visitors - and those who are not lawfully settled here - should contribute towards their treatment in recognition of the additional cost to the NHS.

"We are committed to getting maximum value for taxpayers' money and expect all NHS trusts to recover any charges not paid in advance wherever possible.