Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps he has taken since 5 July 2024 to ensure that NHS IT systems in England and Wales are fully compatible.

I regularly meet with Cabinet colleagues and with the First Minister to discuss a range of matters, including the NHS. Our two governments are working in close partnership to deliver for the people of Wales.

I acknowledge the complex challenge of integrating IT systems across England and Wales and I know that both the NHS in Wales and in England are aware of the issue. I am pleased that Digital Health and Care Wales is working closely with the NHS in England to identify ways of addressing this.

We are working in a spirit of genuine collaboration to do everything possible to cut waiting lists and build an NHS fit for the future. Our two Governments are already learning from best practice in areas such as the Welsh Government’s work on dentistry and GP practices, and in the UK Government’s plans to roll out extra elective capacity, including through new surgical hubs. There is also a Statement of Values and Principles that underpins the arrangements for treatment of patients living on the Wales-England border. We will continue to explore cross-border health arrangements where capacity allows.

In the Autumn Budget, we provided the Welsh Government with an additional £1.7 billion to invest in public services like the NHS. An extra £600 million in funding has now been announced by the Welsh Government for health and social care in their Budget for 2025/26.