Take action as a healthcare worker

The introduction of immigration checks and upfront charging threatens the founding principles of the NHS. As healthcare workers we have a responsibility to ensure that the NHS remains a safe, non-judgemental, and universally accessible space for anyone that needs to use it.

We believe the best way to do this is for healthcare workers and patients to work together to demand NHS Trusts fulfil their duty of care, and to force the Government to end charges for the NHS.

Raise awareness with your colleagues

Talk to your colleagues

Many healthcare workers don’t know about the policy - make sure they do! You can talk to them informally, leave flyers in the staff room, or even organise a meeting. The introduction of ID checks and upfront charging will have a huge impact on the way we work - read some of the key arguments.

Talk about the policy at a meeting

There are lots of opportunities to do this, whether at a Grand Round, in training or even at handover. You could also present a case specific to your department at audit, clinical governance, or morbidity and mortality meetings to discuss actual or potential harm relating to these regulations. Use our resources and presentations.

Raising concerns with management

Do this once you’ve found a group of people that are opposed to the policy. These concerns should touch on the impact you are seeing on your patients (anonymised evidence is useful here), the impact on your practice, and your broader concerns about how the duty to identify eligibility impacts on your duty of care and encourages discrimination. You could speak to your consultant, take concerns to senior management, or talk to senior nurses.

Leave flyers and posters everywhere

In offices, staff rooms, patient waiting areas, or anywhere that people will see them! You can find printable versions on our resources page.

Present at a Grand Round

Deliver a Grand Round examining the policy and charging regulations in detail. Everything you need to do this, from key arguments to powerpoint presentations are on our resources page.

Present a case you have encountered at a Schwartz Round to discuss the emotional and social impact on you and your colleagues.

Present a case specific to your department at audit, clinical governance, or morbidity and mortality meetings to discuss actual or potential harm relating to these regulations.

If you’d like support with something specific then contact us.

Raise the issue with your union

Unions are a powerful voice in the workplace and we should encourage them to speak out on the things that affect how we work.

Discuss the policy in your union meeting

You can ask to use time in the meeting to deliver a short presentation on the negative impact immigration checks and charging will have on you, your ability to do your job, and on your patients. You can use or adapt our Grand Round presentations.

Bring a motion to your local branch or national convention

The more branches that pass motions on immigration checks and upfront charging the more the governing bodies of the union have to pay attention and take action. Once you’ve built support for the motion in your branch use our model motions to help draft and pass a motion opposing the policy.