The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 came into effect in 2017. You can read about these changes in the Guidance on implementing the overseas visitor charging regulations.

The Department of Health and Social Care has been evaluating the impact of these changes on:

• upfront charging
• amending patient records
• community services
• non-NHS providers

This review is focusing on:

• the impact of the new regulations on vulnerable groups – such as those with protected characteristics
• how any negative effects that are identified can be addressed

If you or your organisation have information or experiences that are relevant to the review, please contact alexander.sinclair@dh.gsi.gov.uk (0113 254 5760) by 23.59 on Friday 1 June 2018.

The MOD Medals and Records Offices, part of DBS are to attend the Family History Show events at York on 23 June and Sandown on 22 September, see https://thefamilyhistoryshow.com/. The shows are attended by family historians, societies and genealogical organisations. The MOD stand, supported by TNT UK Ltd, will be staffed by a DBS team, with colleagues from the Air Historical Branch and TNT Navy Record Search Service.

They will offer:

Live post 1921 service record search facility.

The MOD continues to hold all service records where the individual had a discharge date of post 1921, these total around 10 million records, with about 500,000 having seen service in World War 1. Using a sophisticated database that supports the MOD’s main archive, an assisted search facility will be offered that will in many cases enable confirmation of whether or not the MOD holds a record for an individual. This information can then be used to apply for the record using the forms on Gov.uk. To assist the search, some or all of the following information is required: surname, initials, date of birth and service number.

World War 2 RAF casualty packs search facility.

RAF casualty packs from World War 2 are being transferred from the MOD to The National Archives. Using the MOD’s archive and cataloguing database, an assisted search facility will enable identification of the pack that may relate to an individual. This information can then be used to either access the pack at The National Archives, or, for those yet to be transferred, apply for details from the pack using the forms on Gov.uk. To assist the search, the following information is required: the name of the individual(s), date of incident and type of aircraft.

Interpretation of service records

If you already have a service record, but are unsure what it says or how to interpret it, then DBS experts will be on hand to assist you.

• John Reynolds from the MOD’s record office, a keen army historian and serving reserves officer, John has conducted battlefield tours across the world
• Stuart Hadaway from the Air Historical Branch, Stuart has previously worked at the RAF Museum, Hendon, and is the author of military books, including “Missing believed killed: casualty policy and the missing research and enquiry service 1939 – 1952”
• Sue Pass, team leader of TNT’s navy search service who respond to more than 6000 enquiries a year

The DBS team look forward to seeing you!

A package of UK aid support to Lebanon will create jobs for local people and Syrian refugees and improve infrastructure to boost economic development, Middle East Minister Alistair Burt announced today (6 April 2018).

During the CEDRE conference (Conférence Economique pour le Développement, par les Réformes et avec les Entreprises) being held in Paris, he called on other donors to follow the UK’s lead and step up their international support to help the Government of Lebanon deliver their plans for economic growth and improved support for businesses.

The UK’s support will boost stability in Lebanon, which is on frontline of the multiple crises in the Middle East, and help Lebanon continue to host 1.5 million Syrian refugees in the eighth year of the Syria crisis.

Speaking in Paris, on the initiation of President Emmanuel Macron, Minister Burt announced that the UK will:

• provide grants to create jobs and deliver infrastructure projects in Lebanon;

• deliver a new programme to help small businesses grow and hire more Lebanese and Syrian employees to give people hope for the future;

• deliver a programme to boost investment in local infrastructure to improve the delivery of services.

He said:

“The UK cares deeply about the stability and future prosperity of Lebanon. We recognise the enormity of the challenges faced in the region and the extraordinary strength and resilience of Lebanon, not just in weathering these challenges but in providing, at no small cost, shelter, education, an opportunities to work for so many who have fled appalling violence, fear and destruction.

But today is not solely about the Syria crisis, and this is not a crisis conference. It is something altogether more hopeful – and in some ways at least – more challenging. It is about turning a corner, reinvigorating growth in the economy, and unlocking the immense potential and possibility of the Lebanese people to help the country stand on its own two feet.

The path ahead will not be easy. But the benefits are clear. And the UK – as a strong supporter of Lebanon – remains committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with Lebanon now and into the future.”

Further information

• Today’s £40 million package of support is a new allocation from the UK’s response to the Syria crisis. The UK is a leading donor in the humanitarian response. To date we have committed over £2.46 billion in humanitarian funding to the region.

• It includes a £15m programme in partnership with the Lebanese Government to support to small businesses; £15m for the Lebanon Host Community Support Programme delivered through UNDP and the Ministry of Social Affairs to invest in local infrastructure; and £10 million worth of grant financing to create jobs and deliver infrastructure projects.

• You can find more information on the UK’s humanitarian response to the Syria crisis here

The British Government is deeply concerned by the conviction in Vietnam of six members of the Brotherhood for Democracy for attempting to overthrow the regime and the harsh sentencing of 66 years in prison.

We do not believe that the peaceful expression of views on Vietnam’s own political system, or promotion of basic and universal human rights, should constitute a criminal offence. Freedom of expression and association are enshrined within both Vietnam’s own 2013 constitution and the international commitments to which Vietnam is a party.