THE government must scrap migrant NHS surcharges or risk more Covid-19 deaths this winter, a coalition of over 30 charities, organisations and academics have warned. 

The coalition, launched today by Doctors of the World, FPH and Lancet Migration — a research arm of the medical journal — claims the charges “pose a serious risk to public health and are causing unnecessary suffering and death.”

The government has “failed to act” on this issue despite evidence that the charges are preventing vulnerable people, including destitute migrants, from accessing healthcare during the pandemic, the groups claimed. 

With the winter months approaching the coalition said that now was a “critical time” to lift the NHS charges, or the public health measures to control the virus will be “ineffective” and “inequitable,” they added.

Migrants on a visa have to fork out £624 a year to access the NHS — a sum recently hiked from £400 after MPs voted to increase it. Those without immigration status and asylum-seekers are required to pay even more — an inflated 150 per cent of the NHS tariff.

The charges were introduced in 2015 and 2017 by former PM  Theresa May as part of the hostile environment policy. Under the rules, NHS trusts must withhold treatment until a patient has paid in full or their situation is “urgent.”

Doctors of the World UK head of policy and advocacy Anna Miller said: “In our clinic we see patients too afraid to go to hospital in case they receive a bill they have no chance of ever being able to pay. 

“As we head into winter, no-one wants a situation where people can’t get medical help when they need it or are forced to manage health conditions alone. We really need every person and every family to feel safe to go forward to NHS services — including Covid-19 testing services — without the risk of financial or legal consequences.”

A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care said that under an exemption “no-one will be charged for Covid-19 testing, diagnosis or treatment and NHS trusts have also been advised that no immigration checks are required for overseas visitors that are known to be undergoing testing or treatment for Covid-19 only.”

But Doctors of the World research found that some vulnerable groups were not seeking help during the pandemic for fear of being charged or reported to the Home Office. 

A separate report by public health charity Medact published in June also found evidence that patients were still facing immigration checks despite the exemption. 

Ms Miller added that complex rules often result in NHS trusts wrongly charging patients, leading to treatment being unnecessarily withheld or delayed. 

Those affected she said are invariably vulnerable groups, such as survivors of trafficking. 

One of those affected by the charge is Adeola, a mother, asylum-seeker and survivor of human trafficking. 

Since arriving in Britain she has struggled to access healthcare which has made it difficult to manage her mental health and was also wrongly charged for the birth of her son in hospital.  

“Healthcare should be one of the most important things, to look after our health ... It shouldn’t be something you need to fight for,” she said.

Faculty of Public Health President Professor Maggie Rae said: “It is well established that we need to work together to beat Covid-19, and only through protecting the health of all in society can we prevent the spread of the virus. Suspending NHS charging regulations for migrants and refugees is an important step to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and save lives.”

Unison assistant general secretary Roger McKenzie said: “We 100 per cent support this coalition of forces that’s come together to highlight the inequities of this surcharge. 

“We can complain to this heartless government all we want over this but what will make a difference is a strong organised labour movement that is prepared to stand up for people."