Client of Duncan Lewis denied cancer treatment causes widespread outrage (Guardian, Independent, Metro) (16 March 2018)

Albert Thompson* has been told he must pay £54,000 to received radiotherapy or produce evidence of his right to reside in the UK. Mr Thompson has lived in the UK for more than 44 years, has three children born in the UK and has been working as a mechanic, paying his taxes, for more than 3 decades. Multiple sources have detailed the extent of public outcry over this moral injustice. The Times and the British Medical Journal have also commented on the severe consequences of delaying Mr Thompson’s life-saving treatment over the fact that does not hold a British passport. More than 57,000 people have signed a petition on change.org to allow Mr Thompson to be treated, whilst his legal representative, Jeremy Bloom, a caseworker in the Public Law team at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, has had numerous offers of donation to ensure Mr Thompson case can proceed. Jeremy secured Mr Thompson Emergency Case Funding and Theresa May has promised to review his medical bill after Jeremy Corbyn raised it at prime minister’s questions. Jeremy Bloom is anxious to process Mr Thompson’s claim quickly to make sure he can get the urgent treatment he requires. He states: “Clinical decisions have been made that radiotherapy would be the best course of action for his condition. It was only since the changes to the NHS charging regulations that this treatment has been classed as ‘not urgent or immediately necessary’. Does the NHS propose to wait until he gets sicker and sicker, and then reclassify the treatment as immediately necessary?”
*His name has been changed to protect his identity.