Petition · past parliament
Reimburse the NHS from the Foreign Aid budget for treating overseas visitors.
Rejected
13 signatures
What the petition asks
The NHS cannot refuse to treat overseas visitors but equally it should not bear the cost of treating them. The Government's ring fenced foreign aid budget, now running at something like £12 billion, does not enjoy popular support and therefore should be used to reimburse the NHS.
The episode of "Hospital" aired on BBC2 on February 1st, left me feeling angry and frustrated. Where treating overseas visitors is concerned, the NHS is placed in a very difficult position. Quite rightly it cannot, and should not, refuse to treat them, but equally it should not be expected to absorb the costs involved which run to quite eye watering amounts which in reality are unlikely to be repaid. My proposal would address this problem and I am sure would have popular support.
Why it was rejected
There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.
Timeline
| 3 Feb 2017 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 8 Feb 2017 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
13
Status
Rejected
Rejected
8 Feb 2017
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.