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Doctors and nurses held a protest outside a Birmingham hospital to raise awareness about the Government's "racist" policy towards overseas patients.

The protest at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Wednesday was against the NHS asking foreign patients upfront for the cost of their healthcare.

It came on the second anniversary of the policy which opponents say has led to some patients dying as a result of the delays or refusal of their treatment.

One of these was young dad Nasar Ullah Khan, who died whilst waiting for a heart transplant at the QE.

The protesters outside the QE say the policy was turning hospitals into "hostile environments" for foreign patients.

They also said that the information NHS staff obtained from them was being used by the Border Agency to detain and deport them.

Those taking part in the protest held up banners with slogans such as "Health care is a human right", " I am a doctor not a border guard", "Patients not passports" and "No borders in the NHS".

The rally was organised by campaign group, Docs Not Cops and took place at six hospitals across the UK.

It was a national day of action to make the public aware of immigrant patients were asked for documents and payment before being treated.

A spokesman for the group said: "Today marks two years since the introduction of upfront charging for care in the NHS.

"On that day, the Government made it a legal duty for NHS Trusts to charge upfront for treatment for people who are unable to prove their entitlement to free NHS care.

"They increased the chargeable amount to 150 per cent of the cost of the treatment....and has increased the need for hospitals to check IDs and immigration status before providing care.

"Since the introduction of the policy in 2017, a number of people have died after being charged for care or denied treatment, as a result of their immigration status."

Mr Khan was just 38 when he died in St Mary's Hospice, Selly Oak , in February of this year.

(Image: Murtaza Ali Shah/Geo News)

A Pakistani citizen, he was discharged from the QE Hospital after being denied an NHS heart transplant and ordered to pay £32,000 for end-of-life care because he had overstayed his visa.

He died in the hospice surrounded by his wife and sons, aged 10 and eight.

When he fell ill, he was staying with his brother in Sparkhill and planning to return to Pakistan but collapsed and taken to hospital.

The Department of Health has previously said: "‘British taxpayers support the NHS, and it is only right that overseas visitors also make a contribution to our Health Service so everyone can receive urgent care when they need it.

"We have exemptions in place to protect public health and the most vulnerable patients."