[Margaret Pilkington]

Glad it served you well Taddy...but my point was wherever I go in these islands that make up the Uk...I have the ability to prove that I am entitled to treatment without having an identity card.

The other point I was making was, it is all well and good to say that those who are NOT entitled, will be charged if there is no one in the trusts who is responsible for doing the chasing of the money then it makes a mockery of the whole thing.
It is 15 years since I worked in the NHS...maybe it has changed, but I seriously doubt it.

It makes absolutely no sense at all to be asking me(who has a hospital record on microfiche going back to the early seventies) if I am liable to pay.
It does make sense to ask those who speak no English, or very little English...those who ask for an interpreter if they are entitled to treatment without charge...and even take financial details before treatment commences(except in dire circumstances).

The questioning has to be profiled...and it should be administrative staff who do this rather than medical personnel.