Private & NHS Healthcare Debt Recovery

LRC are a proud supplier to both NHS Shared Business Services and NHS Trusts and CCGs acting independently.

LRC has a wealth of experience in delivering effective, low-cost recovery solutions for a clients in both the public and private sector – inclusive of healthcare organisations throughout the UK.

We currently collect healthcare debts in respect of private patients, non-UK nationals, salary overpayments, commercial and prescription charges and offer tailored strategies for these different debt categories.

We handle the entire collections process for you, from collections through to Court actions and Enforcement proceedings.

The types of debt we currently collect:

  • Private patients

  • Overseas visitors

  • HR debt & salary overpayments

  • Prescription debts

  • Commercial debts

  • Gone aways

Regardless of the debt type, or where the debtor is located, we can extend our services to those needing healthcare debt recovery advice and support for healthcare cases. We know the pressures money can cause, so feel reassured with our affordable and reliable NHS debt recovery service. LRC ensures our clients are a top priority with every case received.

Our team of expert staff are well versed in the difficulties of the NHS healthcare debt recovery process and will provide an understanding and professional service for every client. We are committed to each case, helping you with your desired outcome.

Right from the start of our engagement with you we will:

  • Save you time and valuable resources in the collection of money owed
  • Devise strategies to maximise recovery of your debts
  • Provide you with continued support, advice, and assistance throughout the healthcare debt recovery process
  • Ensure that your reputation is protected at all times by always acting in a professional, compliant and ethical manner

Intelligent Approach to Healthcare Debt Recovery

Our “Insight” service provides information such as the number of CCJs and whether these are paid or unpaid, number of credit applications, employment indicator, insolvency status and homeownership information. For commercial debts we can obtain company credit reports where appropriate which enables us to make a recommendation as to whether court action is appropriate.

Why Choose LRC For Healthcare Debt Recovery?

We believe that when it comes to healthcare debt recovery, we can chase the unchaseable. Our team can resolve cases where patients may have moved addresses since they received their treatment. Acting on behalf of your organisation, we will always act professionally and in a manner which protects your reputation.
  • Free access to Debt Manager. View progress on all your cases. Real-time. 24/7.
  • Complete debt recovery solution from credit control and pre-legal collections to litigation and enforcement.
  • Our dedicated compliance team ensures we work within regulatory requirements set by the FCA and our trade body the CSA.
  • Dedicated online payment area, making it easier for customers to pay.
  • Experienced team of case officers who collect in a professional and sensitive manner—guaranteed

Treating Healthcare Patients Fairly

We provide an ethical and compliant service, offering our healthcare clients and their patients a debt recovery service they can trust. We are highly experienced in the handling of patients including those considered to be vulnerable, ensuring these are dealt with in an appropriate manner. We work in accordance with the Treating Customers Fairly principles making sure every patient has a positive experience. We take measures to ensure that, while achieving a successful result for our client, the debtor does not feel as if they have been treated unfairly during the process. We completely understand the importance of taking a sensitive approach when it comes to healthcare debt recovery.

What is your NHS Debt Recovery Process?

This has been designed to give you a brief snapshot of the NHS debt recovery process. It is by no means an exhaustive list, just a guide to help you understand the order of the process and to aid with decision making. For full in-depth process flows for each stage, please ask the client services team.

Stage 1 – Pre legal Collections

This is a 30-day collection cycle of data cleansing, letters, emails, calls and SMS text messages to ensure all information is accurate. This step increases our chances of success for healthcare debt recovery and is completed at no cost to you. Our online Debt Manager system holds any correspondence we search, which can then be viewed and downloaded by the client.

 

Stage 2 – End of Collections

At the end of the Collections stage the file will be reviewed and assessed as to its suitability for further action. If the debtor is a sole trader or an individual then the next step would be to send a letter before claim (required to be sent under the Debt Recovery Pre-Action Protocol legislation) The letter before claim gives the debtor a further 30 days to respond and includes attachments including a standard financial statement to be completed by the debtor and an information form. If the Pre-Action Protocol is not followed and Court action is proceeded with then a creditor could be penalised by a Court for non-compliance and could face not being able to recover Court fees or costs from the debtor.

If the debtor is a business entity there is no requirement for a letter before claim and if appropriate Court action can be commenced.

 

Stage 3 – Legal

This stage consists of the issue of a claim form and the obtaining of judgment for the outstanding NHS healthcare debt. Once a claim form has been submitted, the debtor can decide whether to defend the claim, pay the full amount, or pay what they believe they owe. Defending the claim will escalate the case to a final Court hearing where a Judge will consider both the witness evidence and documentary evidence prior to deciding. Defended matters are not extremely common and it is hoped that pre-legal collections and the letter before claim will draw out any disputes or disagreements prior to Court action.

 

Stage 4 – Enforcement

When the judgment has been obtained by default you can then consider your enforcement options for the NHS debt recovery. Enforcement methods for NHS debt recovery include: taking control of goods, charging orders, insolvency proceedings, attachment of earnings and a third party debt order. More information on our debt recovery methods can be found here under enforcement.

What types of NHS Debt Recovery do Legal Recoveries Provide?

We have the understanding and ability to handle the different types of debt in the sector such as:

  • Private paying patients – with NHS bodies starting to collect on private revenue we are able to use our vast knowledge and experience to help collect outstanding debt for the private health sector. We also understand the delicacy in which these situations may need to be handled and always approach the situation with care to both our client and the patient.
  • Commercial debts and commercial rent arrears – commercial debts can often be relatively large and it is of vital importance to the needs of the NHS organisation that as much debt as possible is collected in as timely a manner as is possible. For commercial debtors, it may also be possible for Late Payment interest and debt recovery charges to be recovered from the debtor too.
  • Overseas visitors – We have a wealth of experience when it comes to carrying out debt collection from overseas visitors. Debts remain active regardless of where a debtor has travelled or returned to, and we will work to ensure any money owed is repaid to the client.
  • Salary overpayments – Whether they are a current or former employee, in the UK or elsewhere we work tirelessly to regain what is owed to an NHS Trust whether this relates to a final salary overpayment, recoupment of overpaid sick leave or holiday pay or loan monies in relation to specific schemes such as car rental, IT equipment or travel costs.
  • Prescription debts – NHS patients have accumulated a debt of over £246 million in unpaid prescription penalties, by unlawfully claiming free prescriptions. If you find you have people who aren’t paying their prescription charges, we will help you regain what is rightfully yours.

Back to LRC Services
James Paget University Hospitals

We have worked with LRC for about 9 years now and throughout this time they have provided us with good customer service and are always prepared to go that extra mile. Their recent gaining of ‘law firm’ status enables them to now handle the entire debt recovery process for us from pre-legal collections, through to legal proceedings and enforcement therefore ensuring continuity.

Royal Veterinary College

It is always possible to get hold of a person to discuss a particular case. Our Staff have found LRC employees to be helpful, friendly and quick to respond to any queries.

BUPA Dental Care

Having engaged the services of Legal Recoveries & Collections across a number of NHS sectors I continue to be impressed with their friendly and professional service. This coupled with a can do attitude, bespoke collection strategies and cutting edge systems it has been a pleasure working with them over the past five years.

If you have any questions about our service or would like to discuss your matters with us in greater detail, please contact the Business Development Team on 0330 024 6342