UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has sparked controversy by refusing to disclose whether he utilizes private healthcare, claiming that it is “not really relevant”.
During an interview on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg program, Sunak stated that healthcare was a “personal choice” and that he “grew up in an NHS family”. However, nursing union leader Pat Cullen argued that Sunak, as a public servant, has a responsibility to be transparent about his healthcare choices.
“Why won’t you tell us whether or not you use private healthcare?” asks #BBCLauraK
PM Rishi Sunak says he won’t answer questions about his healthcare and it is a “distraction from the things that really matter” https://t.co/iUlJw66iPo pic.twitter.com/KPx1Kr5qPY
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) January 8, 2023
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting added that Sunak’s refusal to answer the question revealed his lack of understanding of the current crisis facing the NHS.
Meanwhile, a newspaper report from November 2020 indicated that Sunak was registered with a private GP practice that charges £250 ($336) for a half-hour consultation.
The NHS is currently facing one of its worst winters on record, with over seven million people waiting for hospital treatment and 58% of NHS patients unable to secure same-day appointments in November 2020.
