Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ditches plans to fine patients who miss GP and hospital appointments

The Prime Minister has ditched plans to fine patients who miss GP and hospital appointments £10.

Rishi Sunak outlined the plan in his first attempt at leading the country this year. He has now backtracked on his Tory leadership campaign pledge, after it was widely criticised by health leaders.

Wales Online reports how he previously argued it was "not right" that some patients were failing to turn up for appointments and "taking those slots away from people who need" them.

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The British Medical Association (BMA) said the plans would "make matters worse" and threaten the principle of free NHS care at the point of need.

On Friday, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The PM wants to deliver a stronger NHS and the sentiment remains that people should not be missing their appointments and taking up NHS time. But we have listened to GPs and health leaders and have acknowledged that now is not the right time to take this policy forward."

King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, London, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government. (PA Wire/PA Images)

Mr Sunak announced the "transformative" shake-up of the NHS during the summer as he was battling Liz Truss to succeed Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. He had billed the fines as being a necessary temporary measure until the post-coronavirus backlogs are tackled.

He said: "Under my Government there will never be charges for care in our NHS. But I will charge people who waste valuable NHS time by booking appointments and failing to attend."

The Tory membership chose Ms Truss over Mr Sunak, but he managed to succeed her by winning the nominations of Tory MPs on Monday after her brief time in No 10.

Now he has become Prime Minister, Mr Sunak is not standing by the promises of the first campaign. Instead, his press secretary was stressing he is "committed to delivering the commitments made in the manifesto" that the Tories brought to the 2019 general election.

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