Today, with the @theBMA and royal medical colleges, we asked the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Health to suspend the #NHS Charging Regulations.

The regulations are dangerous, and undermine efforts to stop the spread of #covid-19 because:
1/5

During a pandemic it is critical that everyone is included in nationwide public health measures and can access health services.
This includes refugees and migrants
2/5
https://bit.ly/3aS6PwO ">https://bit.ly/3aS6PwO&q...

The Charging Regulations obstruct the delivery of healthcare + prevent patients, incl those seeking asylum, from coming forward to NHS services -
3/5
https://bit.ly/2x8TqC6 ">https://bit.ly/2x8TqC6&q...

The government has introduced an exemption for #COVID19 but it does not go far enough – patients with pre-existing conditions still charged for treatment
Exemption also fails to protect NHS staff time + resources, which must now focus on providing patient care above all else
4/5

5/5
Suspending the charging regs is a necessary step in the fight against #COVID-19.

Will you sign the letter too? https://bit.ly/3efvgGO ">https://bit.ly/3efvgGO&q...