蜜芽传媒

I appreciate superb care from the NHS as much as anyone, so my knee-jerk reaction to the clamp down on health tourism 鈥� a suggestion by a Department of Health official, that we must provide a passport and other ID before being treated 鈥� was to cheer. There鈥檚 something deeply galling about women arriving for maternity care they aren鈥檛 entitled to, having not revealed their due date till it鈥檚 too late to be put on a flight back home.

A moment鈥檚 reflection, however, conjured up the horror of the unintended consequences of having to prove who we are. I am helping my daughter try to claim money she owns. She needs several forms of ID. Her passport is inaccessible. 鈥淯tility bills?鈥� were suggested. She lives at home. 鈥淒riving licence?鈥� She doesn鈥檛 drive. There is nothing on the list she can provide.

She鈥檚 fortunate. She has a roof over her head and those who can vouch for her. By contrast I was astonished during yesterday鈥檚 discussion on this subject to hear no mention of those who often need healthcare most, with least opportunity to prove who they are. When we lived in a working vicarage we met many such, who couldn鈥檛 even claim benefits from the address, 鈥渦nder Putney Bridge.鈥�

Somewhat bizarrely, as a family we found ourselves 鈥渕iddle-class-homeless鈥� for the best part of a year, rotating round kind friends, our possessions and paperwork beyond reach. New at University and receiving a routine email from his college office demanding A-level certificates, our Aspergic son agonised, beside himself, for days... before offering the resignation of his hard-won place as the only course open to him.

Until it happened to me, I couldn鈥檛 have imagined the hardship of being unable to prove who I am. Perhaps it should be a requirement on all policy makers and public figures to enact Henry the Fifth鈥檚 stunt before Agincourt when he went, incognito, among his troupes and learnt what it was, not just to be cold, vulnerable and frightened, but to have no recognised identity.

In the film Sommersby 鈥� based on the true story of Martin Guerre whose identity, wife and property were assumed by someone else 鈥� the hero eventually dies for the sake of proving who he is. Paradoxically, by taking on the rights and responsibilities of someone else, he finds his own life and love, work and dependents; his principles, and even himself.

Electing to die for one鈥檚 identity: an heroic choice indeed. There would have to be a lot at stake for me to die for who I am. Are you the King of the Jews? the accused was asked. You have said so, He replied, and died under the title.

Heaven forbid that, under our zealousness to protect what is ours from imposters, anyone should ever have to die because he can鈥檛 prove who he is.

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