RISHI Sunak said he will fine patients who miss GP or hospital appointments under a “transformative” shake-up of the NHS.
Brits who fail to attend scheduled meetings with medics would be slapped with a £10 fee if Mr Sunak becomes the next prime minister.
Brits who skip GP or hospital appointments could be slapped with a £10 fine if Rishi Sunak becomes the next PM
The politician says he wants to be a ‘transformational’ leader
The former Chancellor told the Sunday Telegraph it’s “not right” that some patients miss consultations, scans and check-ups – as it takes the spots away from those who need them most.
Anyone who fails to attend an appointment without sufficient notice would be ordered to pay out, he said.
The system would be in place temporarily as the NHS clears the Covid backlog. More than six million people are currently waiting for care.
Mr Sunak says he’s “frustrated” that the Government is focusing on spending money on public services, rather than reforming them.
“I want to be a transformational prime minister,” he said.
“If [appointments] are not being used, then that’s a waste, so if we can change that, then we basically get more out of the money that we’re putting in today.
“It’s a good example of a Conservative approach to that problem.”
More than 15m appointments at GP surgeries are wasted each year when patients fail to show up or warn doctors they can’t make it in enough time, NHS England figures reveal.
Almost 4.5m appointments were missed between January and April this year alone.
Mr Sunak also discussed the National Insurance increase, admitting he insisted on it after Boris Johnson said he wanted to significantly hike spending on the NHS and social care.
His rival Liz Truss has pledged to reverse the rise.
Mr Sunak has recently hit a stumbling block with his leadership campaign after Tom Tugendhat became the latest Tory MP to back Ms Truss.
The Foreign Secretary was this week predicted a 90 per cent chance of winning the Tory leadership race.
However, a Savanta ComRes poll of 511 Tory councillors puts both candidates almost neck-and-neck, with Ms Truss on 31 per cent and Mr Sunak at 29 per cent.
However, the highest number of those polled – 32 per cent – still don’t know how they’ll vote.
The former Chancellor is engaged in a bitter leadership contest with rival Liz Truss
