UK may allow NHS patients to travel to India for treatment

Britain may soon permit patients at its state-funded National Health Service (NHS) to travel to India for speedy and cheaper medical treatment.

The issue was discussed between Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss and British authorities here and the "response" was positive.

"We had discussions about how to use the Indian medical facilities by the NHS," Ramadoss said, addressing a national conference on the 60th Anniversary celebration of India's Independence and the setting up of the NHS at the Royal College of Physicians here yesterday.

"At present, NHS patients can have treatment at places within three hours of flying distance and we have requested that the flying limit may be lifted and in the present day globalised world there is not much of a difference between three hours and seven and a half hours flying."

"The response was positive and in the next few months, NHS may open out," the minister said, adding, "we believe these issue could be solved through dialogue."

During the discussions, Ramadoss also pressed for mutual recognition of medical degrees and unilateral recognition of post-graduate degrees in five countries ""India, Australia, the UK, New Zealand and the US.

Ramesh Mehta, President of British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO), the organiser of the conference, expressed his gratitude to the minister for "initiating a political dialogue" with British authorities.

Ajit Lalvani, Chair of Infectious Diseases and Head, Tuberculosis Immunology Group, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Imperial College, London, said premier British medical institutions were currently looking at India to develop research in partnership.

Lalvani said a working group of the Imperial College would visit India this month end and sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chest Research Institute in Pune on January 30.

Lalvani, a TB expert, said the Indian Health Minister has invited him to Delhi to find out how he could contribute and advice in eradicating the disease in India.

He said many Indian doctors faced enormous difficulties after Britain changed its immigration rules without warning and with retrospective effect in November 2006.

Kamalesh Sharma, India's High Commissioner to the UK and the Commonwealth Secretary General-elected, described Indian doctors as one of the pillars of NHS.