Immigrants should be denied free NHS care until they have lived in UK for at least 10 years, the head of the body representing Scotland’s patients has claimed.

Dr Jean Turner, chief executive of the Scotland Patients Association and a former independent MSP for Bearsden and Strathkelvin, believes many foreigners regard Britain as a a “soft touch” and are moving here to take advantage of free medical treatment.

Currently, any person who has lived in the UK for longer than a year is entitled to free health care. However, Turner believes that those who plan to stay in the country, including refugees and asylum seekers, should expect to fund their own medical expenses for at least a decade.

The former anaesthetist and family doctor said visitors to this country who do not have valid medical insurance should be denied entry.

Turner, who stood success-fully in the 2001 Scottish parliament election on a ticket to save Stobhill Hospital, said there was an urgent need for a debate about the proper use of scarce NHS resources.

“People should have health insurance before coming to Britain,” said Turner. “They are coming into this country knowing full well that they will get benefits. There should be a debate, not just about immigrants but about anybody coming into the country — how do they pay for their healthcare?

“I don’t think we followed through every bill that could have been paid by someone who was passing through our country or who has not lived in it for a long time whereas if you go on holiday to another country, you jolly well have to pay the bill. I think we should look after our own.

“People should have private insurance until they have been in the country for 10 years. I think we have been a little lackadaisical in making people aware that if you do not have cover you may have difficulties.”

Turner’s comments reflect mounting concern among some members of the medical profession that the NHS has failed to recoup millions of pounds spent on non-emergency treatment for foreign nationals who are not eligible for free medical care.

A recent survey of 106 hospitals in the UK found that treatment worth £27m was given to ineligible patients in 2005. Of that, more than £10m had not been repaid. It has been estimated that “health tourism” costs the taxpayer as much as £200m a year.

British people face paying thousands of pounds for medical treatment if they fall sick abroad, although those travelling within Europe can fill out an European Health Insurance Card, an agreement between participating countries to provide medical treatment free or at a reduced cost.

Last week, doctors backed Turner’s comments. Dr Kate Pickering, a Glasgow-based GP, said some foreign students were deliberately looking to study in Scotland to get free care such as infertility treatment. “In no other country in the world can you walk into a surgery or a hospital and get free health care,” she said.

However, opposition politicians rejected the suggestion that “health tourism” was placing undue burden on the NHS.

“I’m not sure of the evidence that this is creating any kind of pressure,” said Margaret Curran, the health spokeswoman for Scottish Labour. “I think it’s proper that we provide healthcare to the people who need it and we shouldn’t jump to any conclusions. We need to look at the evidence first.”

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