I work in one. It's nothing like that.

Absolutely nothing different to what was done. Nobody wants people to die for the want of EMERGENCY treatment. What this woman did initially though was to try to exact free treatment , from the state's in this instance , to which she wasn't entitled. And wasn't that bothered about her unborn quads to stop her flying half way across the world late into her pregnancy to get it.

Agreed.

The rest I don't have the facts on so it's not possible to make a fair judgement.

Don't let it stop you though.

If these foreigners as you call them, are sat in A&E they are highly likely to be British citizens or EU citizens. Therefore are entitled to treatment.

Or are you saying everyone is getting illegal or tourist treatment?

Do you work in a hospital?

Thanks I won't. The FACT is she flew to the USA while heavily pregnant with quads. The FACT is she is not a USA citizen so why on earth did she think she was entitled to free healthcare. Now this is supposition , I THINK she thought they were as soft a touch as the UK.

And because your right wing rag of choice featured that particular story, you've extrapolated it to a ginormous problem that is bringing the NHS to its knees?

As has been pointed out - so called 'health tourism' is a miniscule issue for the NHS - so much so that the administration of it would cost more than the revenue it would generate; the real issue is years of under-funding by Tory/Lib-Dem governments - such that we're currently short of 40,000 nurses and 10,000 Doctors.

If you read my earlier posts that is not what I said. Please stop putting words in my mouth. As I said earlier it's more the principal of people from abroad taking advantage of our good nature. And before you jump on the EU question if they are entitled fair enough.

But that happens so infrequently, the effect is vanishingly small; so what you're left with, is people who experience a genuine medical issue whilst in the UK, who need help, and get it.

Personally, I'd rather live in a country that allows for that, than a close-minded, xenophobic hate factory, that shrugs its collective shoulders at people in need, until they've swiped their credit card. But maybe that's just me.

Take your point. However when I go abroad I purchase travel insurance in case I get into difficulty. Shouldn't people who visit here do the same? Or do they think "I'll not bother they'll treat me anyway".

I don't know.

the worst spongers in this country are the royal family,these benefit scroungers have been getting away with it for years.about time the monarchy was abolished,totally outdated.we neither need or can afford these parasites.whats the first thing a midwife says to a royal baby.you have won the lottery.

Who are they?
Apart from A&E I thought those outside the EU had to pay anyway. I have been having medical tests for over a year & have no experience or evidence of queues of forriners waiting to give birth or have a heart transplant. Perhaps that's because I focus on the Tories treatment of the health service rather than a handful of desperate people in need for the problems of the NHS. I am proud my taxes go to help those less fortunate.

So am I mate. In fact I would gladly pay say an extra couple of p in the pound to help fund it if it was going to be managed better. The left wing don't have a monopoly of caring for our fellow man. Similarly focussing on the royal family won't cure the country's ills. Don't know the p&l is with them but they do bring in a lot of tourist pounds. I don't know about you but I wouldn't like to live in the goldfish bowl they do.

I am a republican, but the issue of the royal family is way down my list of priorities. I don't buy the tourist argument; sure a few yanks dream of meeting Liz in the Queen Vic but I do think most would come to Blighty with or without them. As you say, I wouldn't want their life. I would like to snot Prince Andrew though.

The Royal family are corrupt to the core. Princess Di was going to marry a Muslim. She was killed in a car crash in Paris after been chased by the " media"

Jill Dando about to expose paedophiles at the BBC , shot dead on her doorstep . An innocent man framed for her murder , her husband is the queens gynacologist and also delivered the royal babies .

Henri Paul was inebriated whilst driving the car at high speed that the [iQueen of Hearts[/i was travelling in.
Jill Dando didn't have a husband.

Tin foil hat time again I see.

Indeed.

It's an interesting phenomenon - didn't we used to have a mod on here who was into all that stuff?

Mugwump?

Either that or Flat Stanley is back.

Yes, and yes - the whole flat earth thing that ran for bloody ages!

Don't wake up Ferocious Aardvark for fecks sake.

I'm surprised we got through the moon landing anniversary week without a series of posts with links to crackpot YouTube videos demonstrating why the earth is flat, and being told to "wake up sheeple!"

Fortunately not many of the 20% of young AMericans who believe the landings were faked are on here; they are all on Total RL.