In The Press

Client of Jeremy Bloom, a caseworker in the Public Law department at Duncan Lewis, has been denied cancer treatment due to a question over his immigration status even though he has lived in the UK for 44 years. Mr Thompson* was first diagnosed with lymphoma in 2008, had surgery for prostate cancer in January 2017 and was told that he would begin post-op radiotherapy in November 2017. Before attending his introductory appointment, he was told he would be unable to receive the treatment unless he paid in advance or proved his permission to be in the UK. Thompson married in the UK, he has three children who are British Citizens and has been employed as a mechanic, paying his taxes for more than 30 years. Jeremy Bloom, who is representing Mr Thompson, has confirmed that Exceptional Case Funding has been granted meaning the team can further his immigration case. The team is also looking into potential challenges to the application of the NHS Charges to Mr Thompson:
“The Home Office routinely fails to recognise people’s permission to be here, regardless of whether a person has been living in the UK, registered with numerous other government departments, paying taxes and contributing to society for decades…This case is particularly serious because of [Mr Thompson’s] urgent health needs, and the time that it will take for him to regularise his status here through making the appropriate immigration application. Meanwhile, he is being denied potentially life-saving treatment.”
*Mr Thompson’s real name has been protected.