Cross-border Healthcare

Mims Davies Excerpts

Tuesday 4th November 2025 Westminster Hall

[Mims Davies (East Grinstead and Uckfield) (Con)]

May I take a moment to say how pleased and honoured I am to respond to this important debate—we have heard why it is important—on behalf of His Majesty’s loyal Opposition, as the shadow Secretary of State for Wales? It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd.

I sincerely thank the hon. Member for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe (David Chadwick) for securing this incredibly timely debate examining cross-border health services, constituents’ experiences of them and the wider challenges across the health service in Wales and Scotland. Some formal points have been put on the record about Wales in particular. There have been passionate and concerned approaches from Members this afternoon, particularly the hon. Member for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr (Steve Witherden).

Today, the Chamber has heard pertinent and passionate contributions from across the political divide regarding disappointing healthcare affecting people, despite the best efforts of staff members, as has been drawn out in the comments today. These first-class, dedicated and hard-working teams are in essence grappling with the challenges of devolution. My hon. Friend the Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont) rightly highlighted that before devolution, services were connected to people’s communities, places of convenience or connection and shorter car journeys. It led to services that actually worked for them, and that matters. The challenges of the reality facing our constituents and those we care for have been highlighted in today’s debate.

The hon. Member for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe rightly mentioned the ridiculousness of “too quickly” and how some constituents looking for hospital care were asked to give slower responses. How on earth can someone receive that message and be able to manage it? That affects not only the staff on the ground.

Lack of access and issues around medical records were raised today. The hon. Member for North Northumberland (David Smith) rightly talked about joined-up thinking. It is not clear where people will be sent and referred to, whether in Scotland or around the English border. We need a British healthcare system that works in the situations that people or their loved ones may find themselves in. Staff on the ground are putting in their very best efforts. It is simply not good enough to be still looking at this issue.

Since taking up this role, one of the things that has been front and centre when meeting and listening to people is their experiences across the NHS in Wales as a whole: how they worry about their families and their care, the disjointed nature of the process and, frankly, what feels like a lack of interest and joined-up approach from Ministers. I ask that the Secretary of State for Wales takes note of what is said in this Chamber this afternoon—and indeed the Secretary of State for Scotland. Similarly, I hope that the Minister for Care, the hon. Member for Aberafan Maesteg (Stephen Kinnock) will take a similar interest, given that it is the Welsh NHS that delivers for his constituents.

We know too many people, whether our family or friends, who are waiting in pain and in vain. Given the changes in the NHS in England, they want this Government to be interested in what happens in Wales and Scotland, and that they are using the fabled two Governments. I know the need for this debate, which in parts has been strident. We are here to make sure that this challenge is taken up and pursued in the places where it exists, by both Labour Governments in Cardiff Bay and in Westminster.

Since I have taken on this role, I have continually pointed out that since 1999—yes, since Tony Blair was Prime Minister—the Labour Welsh Government have controlled the health service in Wales. Despite some pleasant colleagues from Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats, it is important to remember that parties there have been backing the Labour Government in Wales, and there has been far too little change. I was particularly pleased to hear the hon. Member for Ynys Môn (Llinos Medi) taking the opportunity, rightly, to point out that for her constituents, change needs to happen. The people of Wales and those using cross-border health services will not accept it if this debate does not lead to change. The answer is simple. People should not be holding their breath to see a change in their experiences; they should be seeing different outcomes.

The Conservatives tried to take up this task, but as we heard today, the challenge around devolution has left it in a difficult state. During the last Parliament, the then Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, my right hon. Friend the Member for North East Cambridgeshire (Steve Barclay), reached out to the Health Minister in Wales—the now First Minister, Baroness Eluned Morgan —recognising the disparities. He asked that they bring officials together—as has been asked for again today—to see how all our UK nations could work together to reduce NHS waiting lists and support the people of Wales. It was bitterly disappointing to see that opportunity to engage not taken up. It was a vital and genuine offer, based on all the reasons that we have heard in the Chamber this afternoon. I would love to hear the Minister tell the House whether that decision is regretful. It seems short-sighted, especially given the ongoing messages in today’s debate.

Can the Minister reveal whether she would like to do the same thing and reach out and offer to assist Welsh Government Ministers, as my party did? We would all be assured by that, and we would all assist in any way to make this change. We also committed in last year’s general election to accelerate investment into new hospitals in Llandrindod Wells, Flint and Newtown to improve cross-border services. Can the Minister commit to an update on that, as it will make a real difference in people’s lives?

I was fascinated to hear from the hon. Member for South Antrim (Robin Swann), that where technology, co-operation and partnership is focused, it can change lives. That is the outcome we are looking for here. Despite the feeling that this issue is about funding, it feels more about delivering and making sure that cross-border services work, no matter what party someone belongs to or what part of the country they live in. Wales desperately needs more nurses and doctors, not more politicians in Cardiff Bay. My colleagues, the Welsh Conservatives, led a debate on this topic in July, making it clear that they felt some of the funding could and should have been redirected at cross-border waiting times.

I will conclude by asking the Minister—given the cross-border experiences discussed and what hon. Members have pleaded for on behalf of their constituents—whether she will work with the Wales Office to deliver an inquiry into the preventable deaths, particularly those under the Betsi Cadwaladr university health board. David Jones from Flintshire and many others want that inquiry to be delivered under the Inquiries Act 2005. I look forward to hearing from the Minister on how, by delivering on our commitment and listening to what has been said in this debate, she can take forward people’s experiences so that they are at the heart of what Parliament discussed this afternoon, and real change can be delivered.