Rod Stewart phones call-in to pay for hospital scans amid NHS crisis

Sir Rod Stewart said he will pay for people’s hospital scans after patients spoke about experiencing long waiting lists in the NHS.

The 78-year-old singer-songwriter phoned into Sky News’ “your say” segment, which covered people sharing their experience of health care, in an unscheduled appearance.

Sir Rod said he had attended a private clinic on Thursday that was basically “empty” and was prompted to call in to the show after hearing about the “ridiculous” situation in the NHS.

“There are people dying because they cannot get scans,” Sir Rod said.

Sir Rod said he would pay for up to 20 scans to help people who were suffering.

It comes after the star’s wife Penny Lancaster said she was feeling “deflated” after the Government rejected calls for a trial of menopause work leave.

The 51-year-old former model has been outspoken on her own struggles with the menopause and is an ambassador for the charity Wellbeing of Women.

A pilot scheme on menopause leave was recommended by the Commons Women and Equalities Committee but the Government said on Tuesday that the proposal was not seen as “necessary” and could turn out to be “counterproductive””.

Ministers have also resisted a recommendation from the Commons committee to make menopause a “protected characteristic” under the Equalities Act.

The recommendation, along with the workplace trial, formed a key plank of a report by the cross-party committee in July last year focusing on menopause and the workplace, but in a response published on Tuesday the Government rejected the two suggestions.

A Government spokesperson said: “We recognise that the menopause can be a challenging time for women, which is why we have put women’s health at the top of the agenda as part of the first-ever women’s health strategy for England.

“We are implementing an ambitious programme of work with the NHS to improve menopause care so all women can access the support they need.

“We encourage employers to be compassionate and flexible to the needs of their employees, and are committed to supporting more flexible working patterns – having consulted on making flexible working the default unless employers have good reasons not to.”