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Written Question
Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements
Wednesday 17th December 2025

Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much each country has paid back for healthcare use by their citizens in the UK within the same year in the latest year for which figures are available.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS care is provided free at the point of use to people who are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, including people who were born abroad if they are not subject to immigration controls. Where the person is not ordinarily resident, the National Health Service recovers costs for healthcare provided in the UK through the immigration health surcharge (IHS), directly charging individuals for care provided and charging countries responsible for their healthcare costs through reciprocal healthcare agreements.

The UK’s reciprocal healthcare agreements with the European Union, European Free Trade Association states and Switzerland allow for the reimbursement of costs at a country level. The UK pays for healthcare costs of eligible people visiting or living in these countries under these agreements. For other countries, the UK does not fund overseas treatment and NHS costs incurred are recovered through the IHS or directly charging the individual.

The following table shows the Department’s income and expenditure on overseas healthcare from the United Kingdom’s reciprocal healthcare agreements for 2023/24, the latest year for which figures are available:

Country

2023/24 income (£)

2023/24 expenditure (£)

Austria

327,322.25

3,360,423.14

Belgium

3,474,379.36

3,822,245.19

Bulgaria

81,739.18

1,212,566.29

Croatia

36,473.40

365,199.00

Cyprus

482,172.64

56,367,818.62

Czech Republic

(148,293.65)

758,458.60

Denmark

-

-

Estonia

-

-

Finland

109,284.40

7,213.62

France

11,051,032.23

186,694,473.76

Germany

3,559,100.19

10,919,120.07

Greece

553,518.12

5,335,540.50

Hungary

-

4,961.18

Iceland

(6,342.41)

239,528.19

Ireland

(17,810,150.56)

225,245,716.37

Italy

2,208,886.74

172,132.80

Latvia

(762,470.36)

26,357.08

Liechtenstein

1,915.64

176.43

Lithuania

75,266.54

242,985.85

Luxembourg

(265,645.79)

575,414.85

Malta

798,235.85

-

Netherlands

2,981,546.13

1,485,724.03

Norway

-

(863.95)

Poland

7,123,224.03

386,044.52

Portugal

1,871,249.74

(356,506.41)

Romania

2,999,264.69

28,944.82

Slovakia

782,608.15

557,904.39

Slovenia

24,181.42

279,420.15

Spain

6,775,123.13

441,009,133.86

Sweden

2,580,816.63

2,960,047.61

Switzerland

670,476.95

7,255,687.60

Total

29,574,914.65

948,955,868.18

The figures in the table above relate to all reciprocal healthcare agreements where costs are exchanged between the UK and other countries. These figures are not directly comparable to the figures quoted in the Department’s accounts, which are not broken down by country and include accounting treatment and aggregation of other costs. Negative values in the table above reflect adjustments to prior year forecasts compared to actual receipts/payments received from member states.


Written Question
Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements
Wednesday 17th December 2025

Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has spent on overseas healthcare in the latest year for which figures are available, broken down by country.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS care is provided free at the point of use to people who are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, including people who were born abroad if they are not subject to immigration controls. Where the person is not ordinarily resident, the National Health Service recovers costs for healthcare provided in the UK through the immigration health surcharge (IHS), directly charging individuals for care provided and charging countries responsible for their healthcare costs through reciprocal healthcare agreements.

The UK’s reciprocal healthcare agreements with the European Union, European Free Trade Association states and Switzerland allow for the reimbursement of costs at a country level. The UK pays for healthcare costs of eligible people visiting or living in these countries under these agreements. For other countries, the UK does not fund overseas treatment and NHS costs incurred are recovered through the IHS or directly charging the individual.

The following table shows the Department’s income and expenditure on overseas healthcare from the United Kingdom’s reciprocal healthcare agreements for 2023/24, the latest year for which figures are available:

Country

2023/24 income (£)

2023/24 expenditure (£)

Austria

327,322.25

3,360,423.14

Belgium

3,474,379.36

3,822,245.19

Bulgaria

81,739.18

1,212,566.29

Croatia

36,473.40

365,199.00

Cyprus

482,172.64

56,367,818.62

Czech Republic

(148,293.65)

758,458.60

Denmark

-

-

Estonia

-

-

Finland

109,284.40

7,213.62

France

11,051,032.23

186,694,473.76

Germany

3,559,100.19

10,919,120.07

Greece

553,518.12

5,335,540.50

Hungary

-

4,961.18

Iceland

(6,342.41)

239,528.19

Ireland

(17,810,150.56)

225,245,716.37

Italy

2,208,886.74

172,132.80

Latvia

(762,470.36)

26,357.08

Liechtenstein

1,915.64

176.43

Lithuania

75,266.54

242,985.85

Luxembourg

(265,645.79)

575,414.85

Malta

798,235.85

-

Netherlands

2,981,546.13

1,485,724.03

Norway

-

(863.95)

Poland

7,123,224.03

386,044.52

Portugal

1,871,249.74

(356,506.41)

Romania

2,999,264.69

28,944.82

Slovakia

782,608.15

557,904.39

Slovenia

24,181.42

279,420.15

Spain

6,775,123.13

441,009,133.86

Sweden

2,580,816.63

2,960,047.61

Switzerland

670,476.95

7,255,687.60

Total

29,574,914.65

948,955,868.18

The figures in the table above relate to all reciprocal healthcare agreements where costs are exchanged between the UK and other countries. These figures are not directly comparable to the figures quoted in the Department’s accounts, which are not broken down by country and include accounting treatment and aggregation of other costs. Negative values in the table above reflect adjustments to prior year forecasts compared to actual receipts/payments received from member states.


Written Question
Kidney Diseases: Health Services
Wednesday 19th November 2025

Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to develop a modern service framework for kidney disease.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan, as well as an overall quality strategy, the National Quality Board will oversee the development of a new series of service frameworks.

The modern service frameworks will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and will then identify the best evidenced interventions and the necessary support for delivery.

Early priorities will include cardiovascular disease, severe mental illness, and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia. The Government will consider other long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks. The criteria for determining other conditions for future modern service frameworks will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity.


Written Question
Kidney Diseases: Health Services
Wednesday 19th November 2025

Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of a modern service framework for kidney disease on improving outcomes for patients with chronic kidney disease who have received organ transplants.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan, as well as an overall quality strategy, the National Quality Board will oversee the development of a new series of service frameworks.

The modern service frameworks will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and will then identify the best evidenced interventions and the necessary support for delivery.

Early priorities will include cardiovascular disease, severe mental illness, and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia. The Government will consider other long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks. The criteria for determining other conditions for future modern service frameworks will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity.


Written Question
Kidney Diseases: Health Services
Wednesday 19th November 2025

Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the need for a Modern Service Framework for kidney disease to improve (a) earlier diagnosis, (b) care quality and (c) outcomes.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan, as well as an overall quality strategy, the National Quality Board will oversee the development of a new series of service frameworks.

The modern service frameworks will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and will then identify the best evidenced interventions and the necessary support for delivery.

Early priorities will include cardiovascular disease, severe mental illness, and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia. The Government will consider other long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks. The criteria for determining other conditions for future modern service frameworks will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity.


Written Question
Dental Services: Contracts
Monday 25th November 2024

Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which integrated care boards have reimbursed dental practices for up to 110% of General Dental Services contracts.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In the 2023/24 financial year, 37 integrated care boards (ICBs) reimbursed at least one dental practice for over 100%, and up to 110%, of their General Dental Services contract value. These ICBs are as follows:

  • Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB;
  • South Yorkshire ICB;
  • Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB;
  • Mid and South Essex ICB;
  • Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB;
  • Birmingham and Sihull ICB;
  • Northeast and North Cumbria ICB;
  • Derby and Derbyshire ICB;
  • Suffolk and Northeast Essex ICB;
  • Devon ICB;
  • Lincolnshire ICB;
  • Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB;
  • Southeast London ICB;
  • Kent And Medway ICB;
  • Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB;
  • Northeast London ICB;
  • North Central London ICB;
  • Norfolk and Waveney ICB;
  • Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB;
  • Frimley ICB;
  • Sussex ICB;
  • Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB;
  • Greater Manchester ICB;
  • Humber and North Yorkshire ICB;
  • Bath and Northeast Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB;
  • Northamptonshire ICB;
  • Gloucestershire ICB;
  • Hampshire and Isle Of Wight ICB;
  • Northwest London ICB;
  • Somerset ICB;
  • Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB;
  • Cornwall and the Isles Of Scilly ICB;
  • Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB;
  • Black Country ICB;
  • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB;
  • Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB;
  • Dorset ICB;
  • Southwest London ICB;
  • West Yorkshire ICB;
  • Coventry and Warwickshire ICB;
  • Surrey Heartlands ICB; and
  • Cheshire and Merseyside ICB.