NHS Treatment Charging
posted: 15/03/2010
Last March the Appeal Court ruled the department of health's guidance on free NHS treatment for migrants was wrong. The department is now asking for public comments on its plans to update the rules and guidance.
Under the draft rules HIV treatment will still chargeable for some people from abroad, unlike treatment for every other type of STI. Making HIV exempt from treatment charges is however being considered. They say: ‘The specific exclusion of HIV has now been in place for nearly 20 years and we now believe it is time for a full review of the latest evidence to test if these guidelines need to be updated. This review is now commencing and any resulting proposals will be the subject of separate later consultation.’
Why are we still waiting?
10 months ago ministers announced in the House of Lords that they would review the HIV treatment charging rules. In July they told the Commons the same thing.
We don’t know why the department has still not completed this in time. We don't know the timetable for this HIV charges review.
What is changing now?
One change is to exempt from NHS charges refused asylum seekers who are now receiving Section 4 or Section 95 support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Unaccompanied refugee children will escape charges too.
The real changes are minor, miss out HIV, but make the rules and guidance a bit more customer-friendly.
The consultation closes on 30th June – to allow for the general election.
Consultation page and documents
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