Ophthalmic Services: Wales
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on the use of cross-border treatments to reduce waiting times for glaucoma care and the associated risk of irreversible sight loss.
Answered by Jo Stevens
Whilst Health is a devolved matter, I have regular engagement with colleagues from the Department of Health and Social Care and Welsh Government. Ministers and officials work closely with their counterparts through established intergovernmental structures, including the Interministerial Group for Health. Both the UK and Welsh Governments support improvements in patient access and drive down waiting lists as a key priority. NHS England and Wales jointly published a Statement of Values and Principles for cross-border healthcare which sets a clear expectation that patients living in defined border areas should receive care without delay or administrative burden, with the aim of delivering faster, improved and more equitable health outcomes for all patients.
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