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Immigration Solicitors

Health experts say Immigration Bill could pose a risk to public health – and cost the NHS more (7 April 2014)

Date: 07/04/2014
Duncan Lewis, Immigration Solicitors, Health experts say Immigration Bill could pose a risk to public health – and cost the NHS more

A group of health experts writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine has said that the Immigration Bill could result in risks to public health – and add to NHS costs and stress for NHS staff.

The Bill will change costs to short-term migrants and visitors from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), which the authors say targets a “vulnerable” group.

“The Conservative Party is concerned about loss of support to the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) and wants to appear tough on migration in the lead up to next year’s General Election,” the authors of the report say.

They add that introducing more eligibility checks for migrants and extra reporting on migrants using the health service will also place further strain on NHS staff and potentially damage patient care.

The authors point out that migrants comprise 4.5% of the population in England – and only use up 2% of the NHS budget. The Bill would allow the government to impose a migrant health levy on newcomers to Britain in case they use NHS health services during their stay.

The proposed charges to overseas visitors and temporary migrants for using the NHS are intended to cut “health tourism” costs to the NHS.

Co-author of the report, Dr Sarah Steele from Queen Mary, University of London, says:

“While migrants coming to the UK are generally in good health, over time they face increased risk – particularly of non-communicable diseases.

“We know that failure to intervene early gives rise to worse outcomes for many conditions and increased cost of treatment in the long term.

“Healthy migrants contribute significantly to the economy – working hard and contributing to a more vibrant UK.

“We should not be pushing migrants away from NHS services that better their health, both immediately and in the longer term.”

The government has already imposed restrictions on new migrants to the UK claiming welfare benefits – and is limiting out-of-work benefits to migrants who have previously held a job in Britain paying the minimum wage, estimated at 24 hours a week for a wage of £150 per week.

The government has pledged to get tough on immigration and last week Clause 64 of the Immigration Bill reached the House of Lords, which would give the government the power to remove British citizenship from individuals without any legal process – and in effect leave them “stateless”.

British citizens born outside the UK – “naturalised British citizens” – would be affected, an estimated 3-4 million people currently living in England and Wales.

Critics of the Bill have said that Clause 64 would in effect create a “two-tier” system of citizenship in Britain – and are proposing an amendment (No 56) to remove Clause 64 from the Immigration Bill and set up a Parliamentary Committee to discuss the issues.

Clause 64’s proposals were introduced into the Immigration Bill by Home Secretary Theresa May – who has also struggled to deport some convicted criminals as a result of the European Convention on Human Rights.

If the Conservative Party wins the General Election, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has pledged to return the Supreme Court as highest court in the UK, meaning rulings made in the Appeal Court in the UK could not be overturned in Strasbourg.

As the European Parliamentary elections approach in May and the run up to the General Election in 2015 gets underway, the issue of European membership and immigration have become the focus for all three main parties, over fears that UKIP may win a more substantial slice of the vote.

Duncan Lewis Immigration Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of immigration solicitors and can advise migrants on immigration and asylum in the UK, including asylum appeals.

Duncan Lewis immigration solicitors can also advise migrants on citizenship, marriage in the UK and right to work in the UK – as well as student visas, illegal entry to the UK and detention pending removal from the UK.

For expert legal advice on immigration and asylum, contact Duncan Lewis immigration solicitors on 020 7923 4020.


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