Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Roger Williams (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Wednesday, 27 February 2008 on behalf of the Wales Office.

Cross-border Patients

Question: I too welcome the Secretary of State to his post. He has given distinguished service to Wales and to UK politics. Many patients in north Wales are worried that they will not have access to neurological services in Walton. My constituent, Mr. Narborough, has to go to Wrexham for artificial limb services, rather than Hereford; young Ieuan Baynhan has to go all the way to Morriston for plastic surgery; and Owen Williams cannot get treatment for ankylosing spondylitis in Bath. Will the Secretary of State emphasise to his colleagues in the Assembly and in Westminster how important cross-border services are, and will he ensure that we bring common sense to bear on the situation?

Answer: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his kind words. I agree with him that there is a difficulty. Many of his constituents, for example, go to Neville Hall hospital in Monmouthshire, and some cross the border into Shrewsbury and elsewhere. However, we have to put the distances into perspective: a seriously ill person with a rather specialist complaint will inevitably, I suspect, have to travel some distance for treatment. Obviously, the patient him or herself will want the best treatment, but the nearer it is to home, the better. I shall take his concerns up with the Welsh Health Minister.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 472 c1076-7
Session: 2007-08
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: Cross border cooperation Hospitals Health services Hereford National Assembly for Wales Plastic surgery Waiting lists Wales Wrexham Neurology Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery NHS Trust Bone diseases Prosthetics Out-patients Nevill Hall Hospital
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk