Thank you for your request for information about the following:

Request

‘I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information relating to planned treatment abroad funded by the NHS:

1. The total number of claims and the total value of these claims made under the S2 route (excluding maternity claims) which were approved by the NHS in each of these financial years: 2024/25, 2023/24 and 2022/23.

Note: Please provide the latest three years of data in whatever format this is held, e.g. if it is recorded in calendar years, then provide that instead, and/or if data for the most recent year requested isn’t available then please provide data from the latest three years for which it is recorded.

1. A breakdown of the number of claims and total value of claims by country, for each of the three years (as above).

2. Where data is held, the name of the overseas centre and the procedure/treatment performed for the latest year of available data only.

Please provide the response in a spreadsheet format if possible.’

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 25 April 2025.

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

Our response

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested. Please read the below notes to ensure correct understanding of the data.

The data provided is for claims that were approved within the relevant financial year.

We consider our financial year period as 1st April to 31st March.

Seven additional approved claims were identified, however, the available data does not clearly distinguish whether they relate to maternity S2 or pre-planned S2 cases. These claims have been excluded from the provided data.

Question 1 –

The total number of claims and the total value of these claims made under the S2 route (excluding maternity claims) which were approved by the NHS in each of these financial years: 2024/25, 2023/24 and 2022/23.

Note: Please provide the latest three years of data in whatever format this is held, e.g. if it is recorded in calendar years, then provide that instead, and/or if data for the most recent year requested isn’t available then please provide data from the latest three years for which it is recorded.

A copy of the data is attached.

S2 data for treatment costs is grouped into local currencies. Due to exchange rate fluctuations and timing differences, we are unable to provide the figures in GBP.

Question 2 –

A breakdown of the number of claims and total value of claims by country, for each of the three years (as above).

A copy of the data is attached.

Question 3 –

Where data is held, the name of the overseas centre and the procedure/treatment performed for the latest year of available data only.

A copy of the data is attached.

The data provided is for claims that were approved in the financial year 2024-2025.

Data Queries

Please contact foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference if you have any specific questions regarding this response; or, if you feel you may be misunderstanding or misinterpreting the information; or, if you plan on publishing the data.

Reusing the data and copyright

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2025”. Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.