BMA: NHS cross-border red tape 'too much' for doctors to deal with


Doctors in Wales say that referring patients to specialist care in England requires too much paperwork, making the process burdensome. The UK government is examining the state of cross-border healthcare between the two countries to determine whether both sides can learn from each other. Last year, the Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, and the country’s First Minister, Eluned Morgan, announced plans to cooperate more closely on the NHS with the aim of reducing waiting times.

The Welsh British Medical Association (BMA) complained to the Welsh Affairs Select Committee that referring patients to some specialist services in England could be extremely time-consuming, causing frustrations for consultants. Although Wales lacks some specialist services available in England, the availability of such services varies greatly, with some consultants receiving requests for second opinions.

On Wednesday, the committee will hear from Dr David Bailey, former Chair of the Welsh Council at the BMA, and Dr Stephen Kelly, Welsh Consultants Chair, about the growing differences between quality and timeliness of care when referring patients onto secondary care. Bureaucracy is a significant issue, and patients who are referred to English trusts may be ignored on waiting lists because England has different targets.

Powys Teaching Health Board recently raised the idea of asking English hospitals to delay treating Welsh patients to reduce costs, without breaching Welsh waiting times. The area does not have its DGH and depends on hospitals over the border. Accessing patient records is hindered by the use of different IT systems. Waiting lists for care in England rose from 13,000 Welsh residents in 2011 to nearly 27,000 in March last year

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