PICKET OF LEWISHAM HOSPITAL ON 23 OCTOBER 4.30PM – 9PM ORGANISED BY DOCS NOT COPS
Docs not Cops is an organisation dedicated to opposing charges for migrants in the NHS. The picket is to mark two years since the introduction of the most draconian form of the government legislation.
THE SAVE LEWISHAM HOSPITAL CAMPAIGN IS SUPPORTING THIS PICKET AND CALLING ON OUR SUPPORTERS TO ATTEND
This is targeting hardworking Lewisham staff. The aim of the picket is to highlight vicious government policies that are being delivered via the Trust, and to highlight opposition to use by the Trust of the Experian credit company for data checking patients.
LEWISHAM AND GREENWICH TRUST USING EXPERIAN TO CREDIT CHECK PATIENTS
The campaign was very disappointed and angry that our Lewisham and Greenwich Trust partnered credit check agency Experian to target patients likely to be charged for NHS care. This story was covered locally in the South London Press and nationally in the Health Service Journal and the Guardian.
We are hopeful that this will be investigated by the Trust and lessons learned fast.
Save Lewisham Hospital campaigners were shocked to read in The Guardian/Observer that Lewisham and Greenwich Trust, among many others, were actively pursuing migrants who had been charged for medical treatment, and were unable to pay, with debt collection agencies.
The Trust say they are obliged legally to carry through this government policy which has accelerated in the last few months. It means that nationally at least 600,000 people including 120,000 children are now excluded from NHS treatment, effectively ending the founding principle of the NHS since 1948 that it will deliver universal healthcare.
One of the most vulnerable groups are women denied free NHS maternity care, endangering the lives of mothers and children.
We have been since been in discussion with Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust who along with many other Trusts is carrying out policies on behalf of the government’s hostile environment.
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust was an early operator in preparing to charge for health care. It is one of the highest referrers to debt collection agencies in England of patients who have been charged for their care (Guardian, Chaminda Jayanetti, 23 June 2013)
LETTER TO STAFF AT LEWISHAM AND GREENWICH TRUST
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR TRUST AND THE NHS?
‘Since the law changed in 2015 many people are no longer deemed ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK and are charged for all NHS care at 150% of cost price except for emergency care. This has put many lives at risk and caused great hardship for many of our local residents. Since 2017 this policy has been further ramped up by the Government with more and more pressure being put on Trusts to collect money from those deemed as ‘non-resident’.
Read and download the full letter
Read and download our new leaflet
WHY OUR CAMPAIGN OPPOSES CHARGING MIGRANTS FOR HEALTHCARE
The issue is not about ’tourists’ visiting the UK getting ‘free’ medical care, it is about vulnerable migrants – frequently people who are resident but have been wrongly assessed – being charged when they have no means to pay, as in the case of the Windrush generation. People are being pursued by debt collectors and reported to the Home Office If they cannot pay.
It is part of the Government’s cruel ‘hostile environment’ and the beginning of the end of the principles of the NHS – including universal access to healthcare, free at the point of need.
We applaud the British Medical Association conference who have called on the Government to drop charging migrants for medical care, along with most of the doctors’ professional bodies. See Guardian article
