Checking GP patients’ citizenship would be “bureaucratic nightmare,” says GP leader

Attempts to curb “health tourism” by charging people living in the United Kingdom who don’t have permanent rights of residence to access healthcare form part of a wide ranging immigration bill unveiled on 10 October.

GPs have protested that the plans could create a “bureaucratic nightmare,” and charities providing healthcare to migrants said that the move would lead to a class of ill people unable to access healthcare.

Under the current rules illegal migrants and short term visitors from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) (those with less than six months’ permission to live in the UK) …