Former immigration minister Kevin Foster has launched a scathing attack over NHS schemes that give priority treatment to undocumented migrants.
Speaking on GB News, Foster condemned the practice as "absolutely shocking", saying it "strikes at the core of what we expect from the NHS".
"We all accept that if we show up to A&E, we will be prioritised based on our medical needs", Foster said.
He pointed out that while it was acceptable for an elderly person struggling to breathe to be seen before someone in their mid-40s who had fallen, immigration status should not determine priority.
Kevin Foster spoke on GB News
PA / GB NEWS
"You don't become innately more unwell because you don't have a Home Office status, that is absolutely bizarre", he added.
The scheme, known as "987 Inclusion Health" at University College London Hospitals (UCLH), allows undocumented migrants to bypass standard A&E waiting times.
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Small boat crossing intercepted by Border ForcePAUnder the initiative, eligible patients can receive A&E-level treatment without the usual lengthy delays.
The scheme also extends to homeless people and those struggling with drug or alcohol misuse.
Similar programmes have emerged across the country, with Stoke-on-Trent hospital establishing a dedicated NHS team to assist failed asylum seekers.
In south London, community centres are offering walk-in services to refused asylum seekers and undocumented migrants.
Kevin Foster spoke on GB News
GB NEWS
NHS figures show that while regular patients faced four-hour waits in November, those under the scheme could receive treatment within 15 minutes.
Former Health Secretary Steve Barclay called the situation "outrageous", saying those in the UK illegally were being prioritised over British taxpayers.
"There should not be preferential treatment for those here illegally at our expense, and I think the public will be outraged to discover that's the case", Barclay told The Telegraph.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said the scheme "sums up broken Britain".
"Whilst hard-working British people are waiting weeks for GP appointments and hours on end in A&E, illegals get to cut to the front of the queue", Tice added.
He blamed both major parties, saying "The Tories started this and now Labour continue to make a mockery of those that pay into the system".
Foster also criticised Nottingham Council's allocation of funds to help migrants access healthcare services.
"I think what was particularly shocking for any pensioner in Nottingham who has lost their Winter Fuel Allowance was reading that Nottingham Council has put nearly £700,000 aside to help people engage with doctors and register with dentists because they might not understand how the system works", he said.
The NHS maintains it is legally required to provide healthcare services to asylum seekers and migrants free at the point of use.
Local integrated care boards have a legal duty to address inequalities in access to NHS services, according to an NHS spokesman.
