Rishi Sunak backtracks on £10 missed NHS appointment fines

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has scrapped a Conservative leadership campaign pledge he made to fine patients who miss GP and hospital appointments £10.

Mr Sunak had argued it was "not right" some patients were failing to turn up, taking slots from those in need.

But a No 10 spokeswoman said after "listening to GPs" the government decided "now is not the right time to take this policy forward".

She added that Mr Sunak wants to deliver "a stronger NHS and the sentiment remains that people should not be missing their appointments and taking up NHS time".

Critics of the proposal included doctors' union the British Medical Association (BMA), which said it would "make matters worse" and threaten the NHS's principle of free care at the point of need.

Outlining the policy in July, Mr Sunak said patients would be given the "benefit of the doubt" the first time they missed an appointment without providing sufficient notice, but further absences would incur a £10 charge.

Fines would also be waived in exceptional circumstances, such as if a patient had an emergency.

He explained the system would be "temporary" as backlogs caused by the pandemic were cleared.

But he gave few details of the how the system would work, writing in the Sunday Telegraph: "If we have people who are now showing up and taking those slots away from people who need [them], that's not right.

"I'm all for a healthcare system that's free at the point of use, but not one that's free at the point of misuse."

Earlier, Mr Sunak's spokeswoman reiterated that he was "committed" to delivering manifesto pledges the Conservatives made during the 2019 general election.

The decision came as Mr Sunak met patients and staff at Croydon University Hospital in his first visit as prime minister.

A patient was filmed telling the prime minister he needed to "try harder" to pay NHS staff more.