Cross border health arrangements complicated

Thousands of patients living on the border between England and Wales have raised concern over the complications associated with dealing with two different NHS systems, the BBC reports.

Currently, the NHS is organised differently in each of the four countries making up the United Kingdom. Those people living near the England-Wales border follow a ‘cross border protocol’, which includes agreements on how each government, local services and NHS bodies have coordinated to allow patients to use services over the border.

However, patients highlighted that the devolution process has meant those eligible for cross-border health arrangements are having to manage complex arrangements in order to receive treatments for both NHS England and Health in Wales.

Patients in these circumstances have claimed they are caught in a two-tier system and treated like ‘second-class citizens’.

NHS England has confirmed it is working with the Welsh Government on a pilot project to bridge the gap, while the Welsh Government has added its priority is to ensure patients get the right care at the right time.

More information about cross border protocol is available here

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This story was first published in digitalhealth.net

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