Loose Women star Katie Piper has been slammed after she made calls for Brits to be charged a deposit to make a doctor appointment.
The 38-year-old made the comments during today’s edition (Monday, May 30) of Loose Women – and viewers aren’t happy.
Katie Piper on Loose Women
It has recently emerged that people who miss their doctor appointments in the UK are costing the NHS millions.
This sparked a discussion on today’s Loose Women – which is when Katie suggested people should pay a deposit when they book an appointment.
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“I have had a mixture of really good NHS treatment and some treatment for my eyesight I have had to have privately,” she said.
“When you have to pay for operations, treatment or just prescriptions and eye drops and you see how much it is, it really gives you a different view on it.”
She then said that there are people who don’t value the appointments – which both wastes professionals’ time, and prevents other patients being seen.
Katie Piper on NHS
The panellist then made the suggestion that divided viewers.
“I think leaving a deposit or card details would make them take it up,” she said. Jane Moore then revealed that over 27,000 appointments are missed every day.
“I don’t know why people even think that they can just not turn up,” Carol McGiffin said.
“It’s shocking really. But the whole fine thing you are assuming that the NHS is organised and that it can get this thing sorted out,” she continued.
“It can’t and it won’t. People won’t pay it. If you started to charge people before appointments, a small amount even, people would think twice before booking appointments and not take it.”
The Loose Women then discussed a three strikes and you’re out rule with booking appointments.
Loose Women today
Plenty of viewers had something to say about Katie’s suggestion that people should pay a deposit to book an appointment.
Some agreed with Katie – but were critical of the fact that booking an appointment is incredibly difficult in the first place.
“Yes people should be fined, but after calling to try and cancel mine today I couldn’t get through! 200 calls!” one viewer said.
“It’s bad enough trying to get through to make an appointment…it will be difficult trying to get through to cancel one…and then will be charged unnecessarily if you fail to cancel in time. However something does need to be done but a simpler system in place for cancelling,” another said.
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However, some viewers were against the idea.
One said: “Leave card details at the doctors in advance. Privatising the NHS? And if I have no bank account, I can’t see a doctor? That’s not what the NHS is about.”
“Slow privatisation of the NHS when you will need to register a payment card to see a doctor. What if you don’t have a bank account?” another said.
A third said: “Log a credit card??? So if you don’t have a credit care you can’t register with GP? Ridiculous.”
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