UK Lawmaker ‘Concerned’ That Hospitals Are Detaining Patients
Sarah Champion, chair of the International Development Committee of lawmakers
Photographer: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
An influential UK lawmaker has raised concerns about the country’s investment in for-profit hospitals that detain patients, following a Bloomberg News investigation she described as part of a “disturbing pattern” of findings.
The investigation found that some hospitals in Africa and Asia funded by development banks have barred patients from leaving until they could pay their bills — a practice illegal in many countries — according to accounts they or their families provided, hospital documents and interviews with former employees. Some facilities denied emergency care to patients until they demonstrated an ability to pay.