31st March 2009 - Linda critical of cross-border health proposal

New proposals to clarify the rights of people to access healthcare in other EU countries came under fire from Labour MEPs in Brussels today.

A small number of people currently travel abroad for medical treatment, but in some cases people have needed to go to court in order to access their rights, which can be a long and costly process. It is hoped that new guidelines will help to make clear people’s rights without them needing to resort to legal action.

However Labour MEPs are concerned that the rules as drafted are not clear enough.

Linda McAvan, who sits on the Environment and Public Health Committee abstained on today’s final vote because of her reservations. She says;

“Patients travelling to another EU country for treatment must know whether they will be reimbursed and have all the necessary information on the type and quality of healthcare in the host country. That is why we backed a clear system of 'prior authorisation' for all hospital and specialised care, meaning that patients have to be referred through the NHS before being treated abroad."

She added;

“Ensuring patient safety is top of our list of priorities when it comes to healthcare. Health professionals and patients do cross European borders. We need to ensure there is proper regulation in place to guarantee a high standard of patient care and safety.”

The proposals will be subject to further debate amongst MEPs and governments before any agreement is reached.