Non-EU migrants working in the NHS should be exempt from health surcharges to help tackle the health service’s staffing crisis, nurses’ leaders are urging ministers. Nurses from outside the European Economic Area should no longer have to pay the £200-a-year surcharge now levied on all such migrants, as well as their spouses and children, according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). The charge, introduced in 2015, is due to rise to £400 later this year to raise more money for the NHS. The increased charges are expected to generate £220m a year. The RCN highlighted the case of Evaline Omondi, a Kenyan nurse working in Luton, whose children had to return to her homeland because the surcharge proved too costly. She was told to pay £3,600 to ensure that she, her partner and four children could receive NHS care free at the point of use during her three-year stint working in the NHS. “The introduction of the surcharge fee was an awful moment,” … [Read more...] about Scrap healthcare fees for non-EU staff in NHS, say nurses’ leaders
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A £10BN boost for the NHS is a taxing issue for Prime Minister Theresa May
FOR their 70th birthday, most people get a family photo album. But Theresa May is determined to give the NHS billions and billions of pounds. Normally, a big cash injection into the NHS would be controversial in Tory circles. But it is not now. First, Tory Brexiteers are keen on the idea — they want to show that the promised £350million-a-week Brexit dividend is being delivered. Indeed, Boris Johnson was, to the irritation of some Cabinet colleagues, vigorously banging the drum for more money for the NHS back in January. Second, last winter showed Tory MPs both how stretched the NHS was and the political damage it could do them. As one senior No10 figure conceded to me at the time, the Tories can’t fight the next election with the NHS as a “gaping wound”. Especially as it is the issue that Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party most wants to campaign on. The numbers being discussed for this funding boost are massive: The Government doesn’t want to be … [Read more...] about A £10BN boost for the NHS is a taxing issue for Prime Minister Theresa May
Leeds NHS boss in court on £3m fraud allegations
A manager at a Leeds-based NHS Trust and six others have appeared in court in connection with alleged fraud believed to involve up to £3m of public money. They who appeared before magistrates were: Neil Wood, Meanwood, on four charges of conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position and one charge of conspiracy to commit fraud; Lisa Wood, Meanwood, three counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position; Daniel Benton, 36, of Headingley, one count of conspiracy to commit fraud; Katherine Dixon, 44, of Monmouth, conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position; Terry Dixon, 45, Monmouth, conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position; Huw Grove, Bristol, four offences of conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position and Jaqueline Grove, Bristol, three offences of conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position.No pleas were entered. The case was committed ot Leeds Crown Court. … [Read more...] about Leeds NHS boss in court on £3m fraud allegations
Starving to death on NHS wards?
Health By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News online 9 January 2017 Share this with Facebook Share this with Twitter Share this with Messenger Share this with Messenger Share this with Email Share Share this with These are external links and will open in a new window Email Share this with Email Facebook Share this with Facebook Messenger Share this with Messenger Messenger Share this with Messenger Twitter Share this with Twitter Pinterest Share this with Pinterest WhatsApp Share this with WhatsApp LinkedIn Share this with LinkedIn Copy this link http://www.bbc.com/news/health-38554077 Read more about sharing. These are external links and will open in a new window Close share panel The Sun newspaper on Monday carries the headline "Kill by mouth: Two die in NHS each day of thirst or starvation". A shocking claim, based on figures from the Office of National … [Read more...] about Starving to death on NHS wards?
NHS nurse forced to send children home to Kenya because she couldn’t afford Home Office health surcharge
An NHS nurse had to send her two youngest children home to Kenya because she could not afford the thousands of pounds she would have to have paid for the government’s “health surcharge” on workers coming from outside the European Economic Area. Evaline Omondi, a nurse from Kenya was asked to come up with an immediate payment of £3,600, to cover three years of fees for two adults and her four children. Ms Omondi, who works in Luton, Bedfordshire, described the introduction of the charge as an “awful moment” that has scattered her family. Read more Government to review EHIC applications after ‘health tourism’ claims Patients must show passport to use NHS in ‘health tourism’ crackdown NHS ‘tourism’ crackdown pursues destitute mothers Health tourism clampdown ‘puts public at risk,’ claims think-tank They were forced to take out loans for the upfront costs, but still did not have enough and she had … [Read more...] about NHS nurse forced to send children home to Kenya because she couldn’t afford Home Office health surcharge