NHS fees

I have just gone through a financially destructive ( but successful ) visa application to get my partner into the UK from Brazil.
It has pretty much broken my wallet.

Yesterday, and 1 month after visa was issued, I received a rather unpleasant call from the british consulate in rio.
In short, my partner , when she met me had a child , born of a british father. This child had been born in the UK in 2007 when she was together with this man. The baby was delivered at a UK hospital, no bill was ever presented for payment, or payment requested.

Now, out of the blue , I receive a phone call to say they have traced an outstanding debt with NHS of £3500 ,and unless i pay it she will not be given leave to remain at 2.5 years point of re-application.

This for me is scandalous, not only that I must pay the hospital bill of another man , but that no bill was ever presented or request for money made at the time. It is a lot of money when i have already lost over
20k trying to comply with endless stupid regulations designed to keep people out.
Can they really do this ???

It would depend what your partner's immigration status was at the time of the birth, ie visitor visa etc.