NHS trusts fail to charge overseas patients

'Health tourism' is costing the government £62 million a year, according to an internal government report.

The findings show that NHS managers are chasing only around half of the debt owed by overseas patients, meaning an estimated £30 million is never paid back into the health system, reports the Times.

The department's report was released last week under the Freedom of Information Act to the Conservative MP Ben Wallace.

"We have put out comprehensive guidance to the NHS on overseas visitor payments - this was strengthened in 2004 and we expect hospitals to comply with it," said a Department of Health spokeswoman in response to the figures.

"We know that virtually every trust has someone responsible for overseas visitors payments, and the situation is much better now than it was three years ago."

The spokeswoman added that the health department were "in the middle of a review with the Home Office" and that they were looking tighten up enforcement of the regulations.