Failed asylum seekers and health care

doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7559.109

BMJ 2006;333:109-110 (15 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7559.109

Editorial

Failed asylum seekers and health care

Current regulations flout international law

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Since the start of the National Health Service, British doctorshave taken pride in working in a service whose core principlesinclude health care as a basic human right and a universal servicefor all based on clinical need, not ability to pay.¹ Yet thereality is different: destitute failed asylum seekers are beingrefused hospital treatment and being hounded by debt collectorsif they have received emergency treatment.² A recent reportfrom the Refugee Council catalogues people with potentiallyfatal conditions, such as bowel cancer, diabetes, and renalfailure, who are being refused free treatment but cannot affordto pay or have become too intimidated to seek treatment. Itconcludes that people will, if they have not already, die asa result. More, however, is at stake in the NHS than a 58 yeartradition as the first ever national medical service based exclusivelyon clinical need.

In . . . [Full text of this article]

Peter Hall, chair

Doctors for Human Rights, Abbots Langley WD5 0BE
(peterhall@doctorsforhumanrights.org)

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