Website of the Department of Health

Pandemic flu

For public health reasons, an amendment has been made to the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989, so that "pandemic influenza" is now included in the list of exempt from charge diseases.  "Pandemic influenza" is defined in the regulations as "influenza caused by a new virus subtype that has an increased and sustained transmission during a global outbreak of influenza".

Since the World Health Organisation declared the H1N1 subtype known as "swine flu" as at "phase 6" on 11 June, it is now officially classed as being a pandemic.  Therefore the diagnosis and treatment of swine flu in hospitals is now free of charge to all overseas visitors.  

The statutory instrument which made this amendment to the regulations, can be found at:-

• The National Health Service (Charges) (Amendments Relating to Pandemic Influenza) Regulations 2009 (opens new window)