Morning:
13°c
Kidney stone surgery for Mandelson after 3am dash to hospital
Sophie Goodchild and Paul Waugh06.10.08
Peter Mandelson was set to have an operation for kidney stones today after being rushed to hospital at 3am by health minister and surgeon Lord Darzi.
The new Business Secretary was admitted to St Mary's Hospital in Paddington in severe pain.
He was later able to leave hospital and attend a meeting of the new National Economic Council at Downing Street. He was set to return later today to have surgery.
Mr Mandelson, 54, began complaining of abdominal pain over the weekend. Yesterday, as he was having dinner with a friend at his £3.5 million Regent's Park home, the pain worsened and he rang for medical help.
Two doctors arrived and, suspecting a serious problem, they called in Lord Darzi. The health minister drove Mr Mandelson to St Mary's, where tests revealed he had a kidney stones.
The Business Secretary showed no obvious signs of pain as he arrived for the National Economic Council meeting. He strolled up with Treasury Chief Secretary Yvette Cooper and emerged from the meeting this afternnoon accompanied by fellow minister Baroness Vadera.
Speaking to reporters as he left he said he felt "very well".
A spokesman for the Business Department said: "Over the past few days Peter Mandelson has been experiencing some kidney pain.
"Hospital tests yesterday confirmed there is a small stone. This will be dealt with by the normal procedures later today.
"He was attending the National Economic Council meeting this morning as expected."
Mr Mandelson was set to be readmitted to St Mary's for a swift and simple procedure later today, and then discharged this evening.
It comes just days after his dramatic return to Government.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced only four days ago that the Blairite minister would be taken on as Business Secretary, moving him from his previous role as EU trade commissioner.
Lord Darzi is the minister charged with a major review of the NHS with a view to shaping care over the next decade. He is an honorary consultant at St Mary's Hospital and The Royal Marsden, and a professor of surgery at Imperial College London.
Reader views (42)
i have had pain for almost 3 weeks and was told that i have kidney stone have been off work due to pain and just now getting an apointment to see a uroligist doctor to get took care of you think the medical departments should help but the emergency room just sent me home in pain three night in a row i passed out was in so much pain but they didnt car because i didnt have insurance so i agree he is no better than me or you or anybody
- Andrew, Ky, bowling green , ky
And yet I've just been told by the Secretary of my useless NHS Urologist that they have (after 3 months of umming and ahh-ing) decided not to do ANYTHING about my kidney stones... I just have to deal with the pain....
Its sick!!!!
- Samantha, Essex, UK
well it makes me sick that my mum was sent home in pain with kidney stones and could not stay in hospital, never seen her in such pain just had to deal with it!!! well money talks doesnt it, he's no better than anyone else!!!
- Michelle England, preston
wow. I wait nine months for my kidney stones to be properly treated through the NHS yet somehow he manages to get his stone (which was self induced I might add) treated the very same day. What an amazing unbiased health service we really have.
At least his own act of stupidity has some small karma reward.
- Samantha, uk
What a wonderful NHS we have, here in the UK.Perhaps the next time I have a pain, I can ring my local Health centre. Who knows? the two doctors they send round to see me may be able to arrange for the chief executive of the local Healthcare Trust to take me to the hospital of my choice!
- Shuddadun, woodford england
Darzi is hero, again! And, couldnt Mandelson take some pain killers and wait till the morning rather than cause all this trouble only to attend the National Economic Council meeting straight after the ordeal he caused?
- Samara, Brighton England
To Val in Mijas Costa
How did a rabid socialist like yourself get past the Mijas Costa committee. The people you mentioned probably sent their children to the same public schools as Bliar ,Abbott, Toynbee and all those other champagne socialists. Still never mind, the socialists'days are numbered,never to return for at least 2 generations, get the Cava in Val
- Brian Hunwicks, Spain and glad to be a Conservative
Why the rush?
- Daviie, glasgow scotland
So now we know why MANDY was prepared to take a lower paid job under his "Auld Enemy" He needed the NHS medical care that we all miss when we live abroad. Tightwad!
- Paul Mellor, Rodmell, United Kingdom
Val Daniels, Mijas Costa. Spain
Cameron et al may be rich and can afford bigger homes but do not preach as Madelson does. Also you have conveniently
ignored Lord Darzi, the health minister driving him to the hospital which he does not do for Cameron or Osborne.
- Norman, London
Hopefully Meddleson will now understand what a pain he has been to the people of Britain over the years.
- Albert Hall, hove england
Who is Mandelson accountable to?
Brown?
Harman?
Thomas the Tank Engine?
None of the above?
- Graculus, London
Was he rushed to the front of the A&E Queue as well?
- Triffidqueen, London
He can afford it in the same way as David Cameron, George Osbourne, Boris Johnson, et al can.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa. Spain
I know someone who has been waiting SIX years for the same operation.
- Peter , High Peak
There are some very horrible people on here...oh wait sorry forgot they all work at Conservative Central Office! Me thinks the tories are worried!!
- Simon, London
How did Mandelson come to be in possession of a £3.5 million home?
How is it that these 'socialists' usually seem to end up loaded?
- George, Durham
Norman of London. Correction needed Bliar has seven properties.
- Celia, woking
A few years ago he couldn't raise £400K and had to use an interest free loan from a minister. The scandal about this caused him to be sacked. Now he can afford a £3.5 million house? The euro-gravy must be thicker than we thought. No wonder once they go to Brussels (Kinnocks, Brittan, etc., etc.) sing the praises of the EU. Joe public has to struggle on with high taxes, inflation, etc., etc. Please stop calling him Mandy, it makes him sound cuddly. He is sinister.
- Beatriz, London
It goes to show how the Press have prepared the public to think the worst of this man. The E.S. talks of a £3.5m home in the hope that the reader will join the readers in wondering how he can afford a £3.5m house? Of course there is the possibility he could just be renting or free-loading on a friend? If I was him with his connections - I bloody well would!!!
Good on you Mandy! Fix the Country whilst you are at it!
- Rod Bisset, London, UK
show how to jump the nhs q.......get in the so called enemy camp and get in the cabinet..........u win the nhs lottery
- B.D.G, london
"Rushed" to hospital. Hats off to the professionalism of our emergency services. Me, I'm a much more cautious driver...
- Karli, Tottenham London
He's probaably been poisoned by Brown!!
- James, Lodnon
All that bad karma had to catch up with him eventually!
- Clare, London
Nothing trivial I trust.
- Squiz, Islington
Couldn't happen to a nicer person.
- Marianne, S W France
No doubt this is just another bit of spin, designed to elicit sympathy from the electorate. Kidney stones? It's probably just a bit of constipation.
- St, London
Every time I get kidney stones I'm sent home with pain killers and told to drink a lot. A 48-hour admission seems excessive.
- John, Bedford
I cannot stand the man but if he delivers and for once tries to save the country and not himself i hope he gets well soon.
- Den, London
Delphine - how can he afford a 3.5 million pound house??
Connections... Secret handshake club... Dodgy sideline business deals, which are probably legal, as it seems most business deals which you would think illegal, are not these days. The guys at the top make the rules in this world and they benefit most from them.
Look at all the business men who are knighted… What have they done apart from make money for themselves at the expense of others?
The sad thing is Labour used to be the party for the working class. Today they are no different than the Conservatives looking after the top 10%.
- Paul, London
Brown has demanded that he is surgically removed from his hip.
- Numbersix, Scotland
Forgot to mention.. I'm a marked person with the £12b database to monitor phone calls, emails etc.
- Asw, Hong Kong
0h Lord!
- Leslie, Stockport, England
Something very fishy here !
£3.5m home... Sleaze all over again.
- Asw, Hong Kong
Delphine, he's probably got a Freddie & Fanny sub-prime 110% mortgage...
- Mad Dog, Barking
Delphine, you would be surprised at what European MPs can afford, makes our own UK MPs look positively frugal I could hazard to guess.
- Helen, norwich
When one of our friends developed similar problems recently, he was asked to wait for hours before seen by a junior doctor. So much about NHS, created by Labour as Brown hammers on which he says treats people on the need basis. Sheer hypocrisy. I bet he has Lord Darzi overseeing the treatment with whom it was reported he had dinner yesterday.
About his 3.5 million house. Where did he get that money? If it is sub-prime lending, is there not a conflict of interest when as part of Economic Council he
advises solution to the sub-prime fiasco among others?
Blair with his £5 million recent home, Mandleson with his £3.5 million home, they are doing very well, thank you and me the stupid voters.
- Norman, London
Kidney stones caused by an excess of bile?
- Srs, London
Couldn't have happenened to a nicer person, lets hope he doesn't catch MRSA in there.
And how has he managed to buy a 3.5 million pound house?
- P Istaker, London
God works in mysterious ways!
- Sue, Orpington, Kent
48 hours seems rather a short stay - I would prefer 48 years
- David, East Grinstead
Never mind the kidney stones - how can he afford a 3.5 million pound house??
- Delphine, Oxford
