The NHS is a residency based health service, which allows UK residents who contribute to the system to receive care free at the point of delivery.

Non-urgent NHS hospital treatment cannot be guaranteed if you are not ordinarily resident or exempt under The Regulations. Charges will apply for the hospital treatment you receive outside of the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department and these cannot be waived.

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is required, by law, to identify patients who are not entitled to hospital treatment free at the point of delivery and it is the patients responsibility to provide the appropriate evidence that will endorse their entitlement to avoid charges.

Forms of evidence can be provided to establish you are in the UK legally and are ordinarily resident here. These are as follows:

A) At least one item with a photo:

    • Passport / Visa
    • National ID card
    • UK Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)

B) At least one item to prove where you live:

    • Water, Gas, Electric or Council Tax Bill
    • Tenancy Agreement

C) Any other documents that can help to establish your eligibility:

    • European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
    • Wage Slip or a P60
    • Copy of any birth/marriage certificates (Maternity Patients)
    • A letter from your Educational Establishment confirming you are attending a full-time or part-time course of study (including course duration and number of hours per week of attendance)
    • Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC)
    • Letter or statement from HMRC or DWP regarding residing in the UK
    • An IND and ARC (for patients claiming asylum)
    • Any other Home Office issued documents which are relevant to your application.

Emergency treatment

Medical treatment provided outside of the Emergency Department in the UK is not free. Charges apply at the point of admission from the Emergency Department into another area of the hospital.

Emergency admission / treatment may be given in other departments outside of the Emergency Department and these are chargeable from the point of arrival e.g.:

  • Maternity
  • Stroke
  • Cardiac Care
  • Critical Care 
  • Eye Clinic
  • Children’s Day Assessment

In a lifesaving situation treatment is provided but charges will still apply.

Charges

The following table gives guidance to the costs for treatment. Whilst these costs are an indication of charges, each patient’s treatment is individual and will be charged accordingly:

Treatment Type

Estimated Cost

General Inpatient Stay Per Day

£800 + procedures + drugs

Critical Care Inpatient Stay Per Day

£2200 + procedures + drugs

Day Case

£500 + procedures + drugs

Outpatient Appointment

£250 + drugs

Maternity Antenatal Appointment

£350

Maternity Normal Delivery

£3,500

Maternity Other Delivery

£5,500

Charges will be made to patients in line with Department of Health Guidance on Implementing the Overseas Visitors Hospital Charges Regulations 2015, where appropriate (if the patient does not choose to be treated as a private patient).

Where possible a deposit equal to the estimated value of the treatment being given is required prior to commencement of that treatment. Actual costs will be calculated following treatment and any additional costs will be sought from the patient or overcharges reimbursed.

The Trust will take a rigorous approach to collection of debt incurred by overseas visitors, which may include using a third party debt collection agency and registration of the debt with the UK Border Agency. This may affect the patient’s ability to travel within or to the UK or gain a visa in the future. All patients will be made aware of this.

Contact Details

Tel: 01793 604467
Email: gwh.overseasadmin@nhs.net