Examination of Witnesses (Questions 20-22)
Ms Rosie Winterton MP, Mr Jonathan Mogford and Mr
Simon Burke
25 JANUARY 2007
Q20 Lord Wade of Chorlton: If someone
goes to live in Spain but retains British citizenship, do we continue
to pay for their healthcare in Spain?
Ms Winterton: We do with Spain, France and Ireland
because there are so many people who have retired there and it
costs something like £600 million a year.
Q21 Chairman: There is an interesting
question here which is about liability for negligence and how
that would be dealt with. We have been round the edges of it and
I just wondered if you would clarify that point in the remaining
few minutes that we have of your time.
Ms Winterton: This really touches on the issues
that we have talked about in terms of patient information and
making people aware that if somebody chooses to go elsewhere the
NHS in a sense should not be expected to have a system of redress
that would be the same as one might be entitled to in this country.
Q22 Chairman: If you are in Paris
and something goes wrong with the operation, if you are going
to make a complaint you must do it there and you must do it under
the system which operates in Paris or in Berlin or wherever.
Ms Winterton: Yes, and that people understand
that very clearly before they travel anywhere for treatment. The
real issue that we want to see in there, if legislation does come
forward, is that that is quite clear so that there is no ambiguity
about it.
Chairman: Thank you very much indeed.
Does anybody have a last minute question?
Baroness Howarth of Breckland: I would
just say that this has been extraordinarily helpful.
Chairman: Yes, thank you very much indeed
for coming. We have all learned a good deal and understand what
we are talking about now a great deal better than we did before.
We are very grateful to you all, thank you.
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