Ms A complained that the Health Board had not followed guidelines in relation to procedures for the treatment of overseas nationals. In particular, she said that the Health Board had not properly considered whether the debt she had incurred for treatment should be written off.
The assessment found that the Health Board had not considered the complainant’s ability to pay the debt. The Ombudsman sought and gained the Health Board’s agreement to, within one month, contact the debt collection agency to re-activate the process and for Ms A to be issued with an Income and Expenditure form. Following completion and return of the form, the Health Board would then reach a decision about whether the debt could and should be pursued.