Passport countersigning

[Deleted User]

Sicard wrote: »

I've never known for this to happen. Is this a recent innovation?

It has been for a while.

The issue is that by the looks of things accessing the NHS will soon need a passport or other photo id (I checked other forms out and they need the countersigning as well)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38060432

shaun_from_Africa

Sicard wrote: »

I've never known for this to happen. Is this a recent innovation?

I countersigned a passport application for someone about 3 years ago and I received a phonecall from the passport office and they asked me a couple of questions about the applicant.

elsien

You may have moved between care homes but do you not have a social worker, CPN, care co-ordinator or doctor who has known you for longer?

[Deleted User]

elsien wrote: »

You may have moved between care homes but do you not have a social worker, CPN, care co-ordinator or doctor who has known you for longer?

social worker changes all the time and the doctor has known for less time then i have been here.

George_Michael

smudge56 wrote: »

As long as the person who countersigns your application is qualified to do so the length of time doesn't matter as You will have to attend an identification interview before your passport is issued.

What the countersignatory must do with your form

After you’ve filled in the form, your countersignatory must check the details are correct and sign it.
By signing it they are confirming that:
they’ve known you for more than 2 years

https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications/when-to-sign-what-to-do

The person countersigning the form is filling in and signing a legal document to confirm that they have know the applicant for at least two years.
Unless it's a totally fraudulent application, I would be very surprised if you could find someone willing to lie on this form.

sheramber

If you are registered with a GP practice you will have NHS card with an NHS number. That is proof of your eligibility.

Referral from a GP will mean they have verified your entitlement.

The cases being talked about are emergency admissions and at present only applies to pregnant women.

No decision has been made further checks. it has only been put forward as a suggestion and has been objected to.

If it comes to be the forms of ID accepted will be researched. There are many people who have no passport and have no need to buy one.

There is no need to panic at present.

Derwent

Get your local pub landlord to sign it, they are actually on the list of people who are allowed to.

Sicard

mtwiscool wrote: »

social worker changes all the time and the doctor has known for less time then i have been here.

But the social services team will know you even if the workers change. Get one of them to take it into the office to sign.

Voyager2002

sheramber wrote: »

If you are registered with a GP practice you will have NHS card with an NHS number. That is proof of your eligibility.

Referral from a GP will mean they have verified your entitlement.

The cases being talked about are emergency admissions and at present only applies to pregnant women.

No decision has been made further checks. it has only been put forward as a suggestion and has been objected to.

If it comes to be the forms of ID accepted will be researched. There are many people who have no passport and have no need to buy one.

There is no need to panic at present.

That is the common-sense view, and I agree that there is no need to panic right now. However, if you read (or listen to) the discussion held by Parliament's Public Accounts Committee last Monday at http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/news-parliament-2015/nhs-treatment-overseas-patients-evidence-16-17/
you will see that the official view is that absolutely anyone can get an NHS number so that it does nothing to prove your identity and establish your right to treatment.

The cases being talked about apply to ALL hospital treatment in certain districts, including Peterborough. It is only one hospital (St Georges, Tooting) that is targeting pregnant women.

Actually, there is good reason to panic now -- not about the passport issue, but about the stupidity demonstrated in this hearing by those who run our NHS.