Resident Doctors: Industrial Action

Debate between Lord Sentamu and Baroness Merron

Monday 15th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Sentamu (CB)]

My Lords, one of the four priorities named in the Budget delivered by the Chancellor of the Exchequer was reducing waiting lists. If this strike goes ahead, what increase would there be in the waiting lists? Secondly, the Secretary of State in his Statement said that he is putting

“money back in … doctors’ pockets by”

funding

“royal college portfolio, membership and exam fees … backdated to April”,—[Official Report, Commons, 10/12/25; col. 430.]

and increasing the allowance for less-than-full-time doctors to £1,500. Where is the money coming from? Is this funded, or will this money be borrowed?

Finally, taxpayers spend £4 billion training medics every year. Are the Government persuading resident doctors to keep their social contract with taxpayers? It seems to me that calling this strike at this point in time is a bargain betrayed.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I certainly understand the noble and right reverend Lord’s point. The offer we made—which covered a number of the areas that the noble and right reverend Lord referred to, plus more—is not applicable because it was not accepted. We put it forward, developed it further and did all we could that was realistic. The noble and right reverend Lord asked whether it is funded, but I will change the tense of his question: it would have been funded, but the offer was rejected and therefore is no longer on the table. That is why it is not going ahead.

On waiting lists, as I mentioned to the noble Baroness, Lady Browning, we have proved that we can maintain a near full programme of elective work, with 95% of planned care being maintained—and, again, let us pay tribute to the NHS staff who have done that. But let us not suggest that there are no effects. It affects the staff who step in to cover for their colleagues. We have an NHS in desperate need of reform. We are turning it around, but these strikes get in our way. As I mentioned, we cannot underestimate the amount of effort, finance, direction and morale—the list could go on—that these strikes take up. I am grateful to the noble and right reverend Lord for raising those points.

Prostate Cancer: National Screening Programme

Debate between Lord Sentamu and Baroness Merron

Thursday 27th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for sharing his personal experience. I am not suggesting that the PSA test should not be used, but we are talking about extending it and using it in a screening program. I thank him for giving me the opportunity to reassure your Lordships’ House that that is why we have the trial, which will report later this year, to find a better answer; the answer we have currently is not where we need it to be. Yes, there is a role for it, but we must strive for better than we have got currently.

[Lord Sentamu (CB)]

My Lords, 13 years ago, a PSA test saved my life. I had an operation in Leeds hospital and I now have no sign of that, and every year they test me by the same method. I encourage the Minister not to give mixed messages. We need a very clear message that, at the moment, the PSA test saves a lot of lives.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I agree about the need for clear messages, and I hope the noble and right reverend Lord will agree on the need for striving to do rather better.