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Clarification on free NHS treatment for those with an NHS Number

The Department of Health has published guidance on implementing the 'overseas visitors Hospital charging regulations', which clarifies the position on free treatment eligibility for those with an NHS Number. (Published: 09 February 2012)

From the "Guidance on implementing the overseas visitors Hospital charging regulations" (PDF 640Kb), the executive summary states: "A person does not become ordinarily resident in the UK simply by: having British nationality; holding a British passport; being registered with a GP; having an NHS number; owning property in the UK, or having paid (or currently paying) National Insurance contributions and taxes in this country. Whether a person is ordinarily resident is a question of fact, for which a number of factors are taken into account."

Therefore, having an NHS Number does not automatically entitle an individual to free NHS treatment.

The objective for NHS Number is to provide a single identifier to be able to trace a patient's treatment throughout healthcare organisations across England and offers no guarantees to the price, location or timescales for that treatment.