The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is to become an international “brand”, with news that the government is keen on launching so-called profit-making branches overseas.
Well-established hospitals like Great Ormond Street and The Royal Marsden are just two examples of institutions the government would like to see operating at an international level.
As mentioned above, one of the main reasons behind the move is financial – cash that is generated in foreign countries will be reinvested in all matters to do with health back in the UK.
The government believes that there is a market for this, with demand from foreign governments for access to the NHS said to be high.
“This is good news for NHS patients who will get better services at their local hospital as a result of the work the NHS is doing abroad and the extra investment that will generate,” stated Anne Milton, health minister.
“This is also good news for the economy, which will benefit from the extra jobs and revenue created by our highly successful life sciences industries as they trade more across the globe.”
It is unclear how British expats who are either already established abroad or in the midst of moving overseas will benefit from the services.
Because most expats are entitled to state benefits in a foreign country, the potential is that non-native NHS services will be similar to private healthcare.
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