One of the founding principles of the MDU is that we are a mutual organisation. That means we're owned by you, our members - and your interests are therefore our top priority.

Welfare of doctors debate

In January, we worked with Dr Peter Prinsley, the MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, to organise a debate in parliament on the topic of "Welfare of doctors".

The debate saw contributions from MPs of different political affiliations, and included discussion of insights from MDU member surveys were discussed, as well as our work with the Northern Ireland Executive to find a long-term solution to the issue of GP indemnity rates.

Moving forward, we will continue to work with MPs to secure debates on topics that directly impact your interests and your work.

Parliamentary questions on CQC

In February, following reports that new healthcare providers were facing severe delays registering with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), we were pleased to have the opportunity to brief peers on this issue in advance of a question on the CQC in the House of Lords.

This ultimately resulted in Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick raising the issue with the minister in the chamber, leading to an official response confirming what steps the government was taking to address this problem.

APPG for Healthcare Workers

In March, the MDU was delighted to launch a new all-party parliamentary group (APPG) in parliament - the APPG for Healthcare Workers. APPGs are cross-party groups that aim to explore and promote dialogue about a specific topic.

At our launch event on 18 March, the MDU was appointed as the official secretariat for the group, and Thomas Reynolds, our director of policy and communications, gave a presentation highlighting our policy asks on behalf of our members, including in relation to regulatory reform and the welfare of healthcare staff.

These policy asks are based off our Agenda for Change policy paper, which we launched in 2024 to outline our key policy asks from government, informed by your feedback.

The initial membership includes 36 MPs and peers from 10 different political groupings in parliament, a number that we hope will rise over the coming months. Going forwards, the APPG will be holding a number of events addressing issues that concern you and your work, including the recruitment and retention of healthcare workers, the challenges facing general practice and improving patient safety out of hours.

We're also delighted to be working with a number of organisations in relation to these meetings, including royal medical colleges and healthcare charities.

The first quarter of 2025 has been an exceptionally busy time for the MDU in Westminster. We will keep working to build on this momentum to make sure your views are heard, and the proposals we submit on your behalf are given the consideration they're due.