Senior health and political officials in Northern Ireland have been invited to take part in talks on how the UK can tackle hospital waiting lists.open to patients from across the UK being treated in EnglandLetters were sent to the secretary of state, the head of the civil service and the permanent health secretary.Northern Ireland's waiting lists are the worst in the UK, with Wales following close behind.
NHS services are devolved, meaning Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland control their own, while the UK government runs the services in England.Health Secretary Steve Barclay said he was 'open to requests' for patients from devolved nations to be treated in EnglandWelsh and Scottish governments to discuss how best to tackle NHS waiting listsHe accused them of having worse delays than England, but both devolved nations' health ministers have disputed this.
The Stormont Executive has not been functioning fully since February 2022 when the Democratic Unionist Party withdrew in protest over post-Brexit trade agreements."If we want to see action we need an Executive in place," Mr Heaton-Harris continued.Reacting on social media, the former health minister Robin Swann welcomed the talks' invite and said the opportunity must be "fully utilised".