Cross-border healthcare patients are “falling through the gaps”, says Welsh Affairs Committee

Nation.Cymru staff

The Welsh Affairs Committee say they are concerned by the lack of urgency to tackle issues affecting cross-border healthcare patients.

They say that these long-standing issues risk patients “falling through the gaps” between two healthcare systems. MPs are also concerned about the lack of action to address these issues, despite the predecessor committee highlighting them in 2015.

Across three evidence sessions which included hearing from all seven Welsh local health boards and the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee (NWJCC), MPs were alarmed at the persistence of issues, such as difficulties with transferring patient data across the border, which are still ongoing.

The Welsh Affairs Committee is collaborating with the Senedd Health and Social Care Committee to jointly examine cross-border healthcare on both sides of the Wales-England border.

In their statement, the Welsh Affairs Committee said: “We’ve heard evidence of difficulties with securing specialist treatment, transferring patient data across the border and arranging transport for appointments.

“It is unacceptable these issues are still on-going today. Patients should not have to face unnecessary barriers to receive the treatment they deserve.

“Patients with a clear treatment pathway who receive the care they need, generally report a positive experience. However, with complex referral systems, we fear some patients are at risk of falling through the gaps between two healthcare systems.

“Responsibility and accountability can become unclear, leaving patients unsure who to turn to for support. We want to ensure that patients’ experiences are prioritised and protected when using cross-border healthcare.”

Chair of the Senedd’s Health and Social Care Committee, Jayne Bryant MS added: “Healthcare should not be made more difficult by the existence of two different systems. For those travelling between Wales and England for healthcare, challenges have persisted for years and require action from both the Welsh and UK Governments.

“As a new committee in a new Senedd, we are eager to get to work. We want to help drive improvements for patients and ensure that no one falls through the gaps.”

The Welsh Affairs Committee is responsible for scrutinising the expenditure, administration and policies of the Wales Office, and the policies of the UK Government as a whole that have an impact in Wales.

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