Anger over NHS letter (From Stroud News and Journal)

Anger over NHS letter

WAR hero Frank Lata is furious after being told to prove his nationality to NHS bosses.

Although born in Poland, Mr Lata, 80, has lived in the UK for nearly 60 years.

But days after being discharged from Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in mid-March he received a letter asking for clarification over his residency.

"I am terribly upset about this and I can't just leave it alone," said Mr Lata, a grandfather of two who recently suffered a stroke.

The letter from the hospital's overseas patient officer requested additional information in order to assess Mr Lata's eligibility for free NHS treatment.

Mr Lata's wife Pamela, 74, said the letter has caused his health to suffer.

"He's had a stroke, heart surgery and he has just had an operation on his prostate and this has caused the whole family a lot of worry and made Frank really ill," she said.

"It's absolutely ridiculous that he is treated like this having been in the country for 59 years."

Before his retirement 20 years ago, Mr Lata, of Chalford, ran a successful construction business which is now looked after by his son, also called Frank.

And as an 18-year-old during World War Two, Frank, whose full name is Franciszek, was interrogated by the Gestapo and marched out of Poland to provide slave labour on an Austrian farm.

He managed to escape and joined up with Polish forces lined up alongside the British Eighth Army at Montecassino, Italy, for one of the key battles to retake Rome.

The battle is renowned for the severe losses suffered by the Poles. "Nobody could have supported this country more than he has," said Mrs Lata.

"It's humiliating and upsetting and has made us very angry.

"They obviously haven't checked anything and what annoys me most is that if they had just given me a call none of this would have been necessary."

The couple have written to the hospital and also contacted MP David Drew.

"I just want a proper apology and at least for his records to be put right," added Mrs Lata.

A spokesman for the Gloucestershire Hospitals HNS Foundation Trust said: "We are sorry to hear that Mr Lata was offended by the letter he received from us. This was certainly not our intention.

"The trust has an obligation to find out where each of our patients lives so that we can know which Primary Care Trust to charge for their treatment.

"The department of Health also requires us to ensure that every patient we treat is a legal UK resident and we contact all who we believe may have been born outside the UK as a matter of routine.

"We try and visit overseas patients in person while they are still in hospital to clarify their status.

"Occasionally when this is not possible, patients will be sent a letter asking them to complete a short questionnaire about their residence in the UK."