Fracture Liaison Services

Debate between Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen and Baroness Merron

Monday 6th July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I understand my noble friend’s point. He referred to checklists. Requirements are in place; I believe he is suggesting that they are not always followed, so I will certainly pick that up. As we move towards a neighbourhood health service, I feel ever more confident that we will attain the right standard of care, along with cutting waiting times. For example, we will make sure that, by 2028-29, for the first time, 80% of community health service activity should take place within 18 weeks. That has not been the case thus far.

[Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, there seems to be a problem for men suffering from prostate cancer, who are also likely to get osteoporosis. Last week, my noble friend and I heard from a consultant neurologist who said that there is not a joined-up approach going back to primary care. The GP should be aware that these people are more likely to have fractures, but they are quite often having these fractures without having been told that that is a possibility, and they are not then getting the care that they need. We need a bit more joined-up thinking, if that is possible.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I understand that point well and I am grateful to the noble Baroness for raising it with me separately. Similar to my response to my noble friend, I will gladly follow that up.

Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services

Debate between Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen and Baroness Merron

Monday 29th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen (Non-Afl)]

This is the most appalling thing that has happened. I have great respect for the Minister, and I thank her for letting us know about some of the action plans going ahead. What has gone wrong with a profession where the professionals have seemingly no empathy for those they are caring for? Is this about society? Have we given up putting others first? Have we become a society where we do not listen and do not treat each person as an individual with needs individual to them? That is what I was taught when I was given my nursing training. Is that being taught now? Have we forgotten how we behave towards individuals when they are asking for help? Do we not listen and do everything in our power to make them feel better? Government cannot do everything; it has to be society that can, in some way, teach people in these very important roles how they treat the human beings in front of them.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I certainly agree. Every woman, in the case of maternity services, deserves safe and compassionate maternity care. That is why we are so determined to drive urgent improvements in maternity services. It is worth noting that this review—the largest ever of its kind, as the noble Lord, Lord Kamall, said—considered the experience of more than 2,500 families and 830 staff. I think it is important that your Lordships’ House also remembers how many staff have found themselves in situations they would never have wanted to be in. I am sure that the noble Baroness, like me, pays great tribute to the many NHS staff who are in the majority in doing their work in a compassionate way—as the noble Baroness has experienced.

I cannot comment on whether it is specific to society but, from Donna Ockenden’s conclusions, there was something deeply wrong here. Whether it was not listening, culture or racism and discrimination towards women, families and staff, and between staff, we cannot have it.

NHS Hospitals: Apheresis

Debate between Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen and Baroness Merron

Wednesday 9th October 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

Further to my answer to the noble Baroness, NHS Blood and Transplant is seeking to expand capacity in the way I outlined. It is probably worth going back to the point about the apheresis working group. It met for the first time last month to determine the extent of the capacity issues which we know exist. It will also be looking at who delivers what, how and for what uses. It will identify the issues in respect of workforce, machinery, finance and efficiency, and seek to come up with a recommendation. It will report in spring of next year, so we have a route forward.

[Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen (Non-Afl)]

Have the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care had any discussions with independent health providers to see whether they have any free capacity that therapeutic apheresis could perhaps utilise?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for raising that issue. I am sure it will be part of the working group’s investigations as it seeks to expand capacity to meet existing demand.