A conservative group of health activists, chaired by a government minister, has called for a two-tier NHS, including compulsory private health insurance for “those who can afford it”. I Can reveal.
The Conservative Friends of the NHS (CfONHS) group, whose chair and patron is Health Minister Maria Caulfield, has also advocated for reforms that would see “private wings in NHS hospitals”.
The group – which describes itself as a group of “doctors, paramedics, nurses, allied health professionals and other healthcare workers supporting the Conservative Party” – has also supported the opportunities to make “great” profits in private health care.
On its website, the group’s founder and chairman Dr Ashraf Chauhan is featured alongside a number of senior Conservatives, including Rishi Sunak, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden and Health Secretary Victoria Atkins, as well as his predecessor Steve Barclay.
Other patrons listed include Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Laura Trott and James Cleverley – although the Home Secretary is listed as “James Cleverley”.
In social media posts, the group has supported a twin-track health care system, and suggested that “insurance-based private health care” should be mandatory “for those who can afford it”.
It also put forward a policy that “all high taxpayers should have insurance by 2025” and warned that the government “must save”. [the] The NHS is for people who can’t afford private care.”
In a tweet last year, the group said: “The rich using the free NHS is unfair to the poor. All high tax payers should have insurance by 2025. HMRC should consider insurance [sic] Premium as personal expense. Love the NHS. Make it sustainable.”
In another it said: “We do not support outsourcing, but certainly support private wings in NHS hospitals for those who have private insurance.” [sic] To reduce pressure on the NHS. NHS workers get some more money too.
Another post on the site said: “No country in the world can provide 100% free top-class competitive healthcare to everyone this century. That’s why the NHS is struggling.”
“To implement this now requires steps like a parallel private sector for those who can afford insurance [sic] premium. The NHS itself needs reforms.”
CFONHS says it provides candidates in elections for the Tory Party, particularly in marginal seats, while supporting the Conservative Party through “campaigning, fundraising and policy-making”.
The group’s Instagram page shows members campaigning alongside the likes of Ms Atkins and the Conservative Party chairman, Richard Holden.
Mr Chauhan describes himself as an ambassador to the Conservative Party leaders’ group, which sees wealthy Tory donors who have given more than £50,000 to the party invited to drinks receptions and meetings with the entire Cabinet, including the Prime Minister.
Last week, Mr Sunak said he would turn to private health care if a family member requiring surgery was stuck on a long NHS waiting list. Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer said he would not go personally.
Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, has said his party will use the private sector to help clear the NHS backlog.
But he described the need for patients to turn to private health care as “a second tax.”
In a statement he said: “If the Conservatives are given charge for the next five years, the waiting list will reach 10 million, and more and more patients will be forced to pay privately to get treatment on time.
“That’s the choice for patients under the Tories: pain or private? Patients face double taxation on health: they pay their own taxes, and then pay the Tory health tax if they want timely treatment.”
A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “We reject these policies in their entirety. These are not Conservative Party policies.”
I Both CFONHS have been contacted for comment.