MPs seek public views on cross-border NHS care

The Welsh Affairs Committee has launched a survey to gain insight into the experiences of those who use  cross-border NHS services between England and Wales.

The committee is seeking to understand the “most pressing” issues facing those who access cross-border healthcare in both England and Wales, including if Welsh-language provision is sufficient.

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.

NHS patients from across Wales and parts of England face challenges across the border in both countries, such as accessing medical records, transport and hospital referrals.

The Committee has said it also welcomes written evidence on its full terms of reference, including how the use of data and digitalisation could improve patients’ experiences and the impact of recent policy healthcare announcements.

The UK and Welsh Labour governments came under fire in January for a cross-border healthcare policy that has “doubled” wait times.

The Liberal Democrats argued that patients from Wales needing specialist care in England are being ranked based on whether a Welsh health board is willing to pay for their treatment within a particular financial year, rather than clinical need.

During a debate on 29 January 2026, Labour Wales Office Minister Anna McMorrin insisted that Labour governments were “working in partnership” to ensure cross-border arrangements were fair and transparent.

The current inquiry builds on the Committee’s previous evidence session on cross-border healthcare, held in early 2025, to explore the issues affecting patients in greater depth.

The deadline for the survey is 13 April and it can be accessed on the Committee’s website.

Results from the survey will be used to inform the Committee’s inquiry examining the challenges faced by people accessing cross-border healthcare.