NHS England – Afghan relocation and resettlement schemes

NHS England – Afghan relocation and resettlement schemes

NHS England has published additional guidance for optometry practices on the Afghan relocation and resettlement schemes.

Individuals and families arriving in the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme or Afghan citizens’ resettlement scheme (ACRS) will be entitled to free NHS care. People supported by UK Visas and Immigration (UKV&I) under section 95 are issued with HC2 certificates, usually within two weeks of their arrival.

However, if the patient attends an optometry practice but has not yet received their HC2 certificate, the advice to the practice is as follows:

• Do not refuse eye care services or see them as a private patient
• Complete a GOS form as standard, recording the bridging hotel as the patient’s address
• Tick ‘Universal credit’ as the eligibility criteria
• Tick the ‘Evidence not seen’ option
• Keep a note on the patient’s record that the eligibility category had been selected as per NHS England & NHS Improvement guidance on submitting GOS claims for Afghan refugees.