The Policy Exchange report said the unrecovered costs were enough to pay the salaries of 3,200 more GPs, or build almost 70 new GP surgeries.

In the report's foreword, former health secretary, Sajid Javid, said: ‘The NHS is not a charity. It is not an international aid organisation. It is a public service - funded out of the hard-earned money of British taxpayers, for the benefit of British taxpayers.

‘Every doctor, every nurse and every hospital is paid for by hard working families up and down the country. Maintaining their confidence and trust must be a priority. Rules mustn't just exist on paper. They must be enforced. This report demonstrates how to do just that.'

The report's recommendation include:

•           requiring trusts to publish annual figures regarding overseas health costs
•           publishing league tables with automatic audits for low performers
•           tying chief executives' bonuses to a 50% collection performance target
•           requiring all trusts disclose all formal external partnerships
•           embedding immigration status checks in the professional guidance for healthcare workers
•           denying new visas to those with outstanding NHS bills.

An NHS spokesperson said: ‘The NHS is committed to delivering the best possible value for taxpayers' money and in line with regulations, providers of NHS-funded services must identify chargeable overseas visitors and take all reasonable steps to recover costs.

‘For non-urgent care, payment must be secured in advance; and urgent or immediately necessary treatment will be provided without delay, in line with the NHS's commitment to patient care.

 

‘The NHS has recovered more money so far this year compared to previous years but we are determined to go further and are working on a variety of measures to achieve this.'