UK makes checking hospital patients’ immigration status mandatory

The United Kingdom is making it mandatory for doctors to check patients’ immigration status before offering them free healthcare.

The United Kingdom is making it mandatory for doctors to check patients’ immigration status before offering them free healthcare.

The new rules mean some migrants and visitors to England will be charged upfront for treatment.

The government says it is necessary to recover vital funds, but critics say it may prevent vulnerable people from getting the treatment they need.

Al Jazeera’s Barnaby Phillips reports from London.