A Conservative peer has sparked fury by using a curry night in the House of Lords to rally support for her controversial bill that would charge NHS patients for missed appointments.
Baroness Michelle Mone, the Tory peer behind the Ultimo bra empire, hosted the event for around 40 fellow Conservative Lords in a bid to garner backing for her proposed legislation. The bill, officially titled the National Health Service (Co-Funding and Co-Payment) Bill, seeks to introduce fees for patients who fail to attend their scheduled GP or hospital appointments without providing sufficient notice.
Backlash from Medical Professionals
The move has been met with swift and stern condemnation from health leaders and opposition parties. The British Medical Association (BMA) labelled the proposal as "wholly unacceptable," warning it would disproportionately punish the most vulnerable in society, including those with mental health conditions, memory issues, or complex lives.
Dr. Latifa Patel of the BMA stated, "This is a completely inappropriate way to address the problem. It would deter people from seeking necessary medical help and create a bureaucratic nightmare for already overstretched staff."
A Political Curry Club
The revelation of the private dining event has added a layer of political controversy. Critics have accused Baroness Mone of using informal hospitality to push through a bill that aligns with Conservative ideology rather than evidence-based policy.
One Labour source criticised the tactic, saying, "It's outrageous that policy is being debated over poppadoms rather than in the proper channels. This is not how our legislative process should work." The event has raised questions about lobbying and influence within the corridors of power.
The Future of the Bill
While the bill has secured a date for its second reading in the Lords, its prospects remain highly uncertain. The government has not adopted it as official policy, and it faces significant opposition from within the House of Lords and the medical community.
This incident highlights the ongoing tension between finding solutions to NHS inefficiencies and protecting the fundamental principle of a free-at-the-point-of-use health service. The debate over Baroness Mone's bill is sure to continue, both in Parliament and in the court of public opinion.
