Edinburgh Medical School and the Medical Students Council are pleased to host the second in the series of the Edinburgh Medical Debates.

The subject of the debate is “The NHS: Is it financially sustainable?”

This is a highly topical debate in the current climate of uncertainty about the future of our NHS, which is coming under increasing financial pressure. The morale of the workforce is also being affected, with the first ever all out junior doctor strikes in NHS history.

The panel are:

Mr Brian Houston, Chairman of NHS Lothian

Professor Cam Donaldson, Yunus Chair in Social Business and Health, Glasgow Caledonian University

Dr Roger Smyth, Consultant Psychiatrist in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh.

Ms Navina Senthilkumar, Year 2 medical student, The University of Edinburgh

The debate will be chaired by Professor Kenneth Boyd, Emeritus Professor of Medical Ethics. 

Our debate motion is:

 “This house believes that the NHS should no longer be free at the point of access.”

Each speaker will present their argument for or against the motion, followed by Q&A and then finally a vote.