Foreign Patients - FOI Response Register

The below questions relate to oversees/foreign patients who were given NHS treatment while visiting Scotland that they were required to pay for.

Please can you tell me:

1. The number of patients who were not entitled to free treatment on the health service in each of the last five financial years (2019/20, 2020/21, 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25). Please provide a breakdown of where the patients were from (i.e. the country they were visiting Scotland from).

The question refers to the last 5 years but misses 2021/22 so we have included the last 6 years’ data in all responses.

2. The number of patients with outstanding debt following free treatment in each of the last five financial years (2019/20, 2020/21, 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25).

3. The total outstanding debt as a result of free treatment given to oversees patients in each of the last five financial years (2019/20, 2020/21, 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25).

4. The total portion written off as bad debt in each of the years?

5. The departments most commonly used by overseas visitors?

In accordance with FOISA s 17(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it does not hold the information requested.

6. Please provide a breakdown of where the patient is originally from.

In accordance with FOISA s 17(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it does not hold the information requested.

Where we have given <5 answers, this is because NHS Shetland considers that providing more specific information carries a high risk of identifying individuals. As such and in accordance with FOISA s 16(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it holds the information requested but that it is exempt from disclosure under FOISA s 38(1)(b) as read with s 38 (2A) as the information constitutes personal data and disclosure would breach the confidentiality of the data subjects.