Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

NHS England-NHS Scotland Co-operation

Wednesday 13 September 2023 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial colleagues at the Department of Health and Social Care have written to the Scottish Government inviting them for talks on increasing co-operation between NHS England and NHS Scotland.
  • The goal of the UK Government is to support collaboration between all nations to share best practices, improve transparency, and provide better accountability for patients.
  • Jamie Stone emphasized that in cases where someone's life is in danger, the border between Scotland and England should not hinder the best possible health outcome.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jamie Stone Lib Dem Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
NHS Scotland
Context

The MP is concerned about the lack of cooperation between the two healthcare systems despite increasing need for collaboration due to long-term waiting lists.

Question

Whether he has held recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues and the Scottish Government on increasing co-operation between NHS England and NHS Scotland. Ministerial colleagues at the Department of Health and Social Care have written to the Scottish Government inviting them for talks on how we can work together to tackle long-term waiting lists in all parts of the United Kingdom.

Answer from John Lamont

The United Kingdom Government support collaboration between all our nations to share best practice, improve transparency and provide better accountability for patients. Ministerial colleagues at the Department of Health and Social Care have written to the Scottish Government inviting them for talks on how we can work together to tackle long-term waiting lists in all parts of the United Kingdom.

Answered
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Q2 Jamie Stone Lib Dem Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
NHS Scotland
Context

A constituent has been informed they will need to wait over three years for cataract treatment in Scotland while their neighbors registered with an English GP are being treated within six months by NHS England.

Question

If someone is sick and their life is in danger, is it not the case that the border between Scotland and England should not get in the way of the best possible health outcome?

Answer from John Lamont

The hon. Member makes an extremely important point—that is something about which I am acutely aware as a Borders MP. Indeed, I have a constituent who lives in Foulden who has been told that they will need to wait over three years to have their cataracts seen to in Scotland. Meanwhile, their neighbours, who are registered with a GP in England, are being treated by NHS England within six months. My constituent simply does not understand that discrepancy. The SNP Government in Edinburgh should be doing much more to drive down NHS waiting lists and engage with colleagues in Westminster to ensure that all people across these islands get the best possible NHS services.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about removing healthcare disparities was not directly addressed; instead, the response highlighted discrepancies and suggested the SNP Government should take action without providing concrete steps or commitments from Westminster.

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