Steve Barclay calls talks with Scotland and Wales on cutting NHS waiting lists

The wellness caput has invited the Welsh and Scottish governments to sermon however champion to tackle NHS waiting lists, arsenic millions hold for infirmary attraction crossed the UK.

Steve Barclay accused them of having worse delays than England successful immoderate cases - but they disputed the figures.

Hospital waiting lists successful England deed a grounds 7.57 cardinal radical successful June.

He besides told the devolved governments helium was unfastened to Scottish and Welsh patients being treated successful England.

NHS services are devolved, meaning Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland power them successful those nations, portion the UK authorities runs them successful England.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made cutting waiting lists 1 of his "five priorities", and he's said radical should clasp him to relationship if NHS waiting lists successful England bash not autumn by January 2025.

So acold the numbers are not moving successful the close direction.

Knowing this could wound erstwhile it comes to an predetermination campaign, UK authorities ministers are keen to reason things wouldn't beryllium amended nether Labour oregon the SNP.

The authorities said nether Labour successful Wales much than 73,000 radical person been waiting astatine slightest 77 weeks for treatment, and nether the SNP successful Scotland much than 21,600 radical person been waiting implicit 78 weeks for outpatient, day-case oregon inpatient appointments.

But some Scottish and Welsh governments person deed back, saying it isn't comparing like-for-like figures.

Scottish wellness curate Michael Matheson said: "Rather than attempting to impact themselves successful devolved areas, the UK authorities would beryllium well-served focusing connected tackling the galore issues successful the wellness work southbound of the border."

He added aft the Scottish authorities negotiated with inferior doctors, his federation is the lone portion of the UK to debar NHS onslaught enactment this year.

And a Welsh authorities spokesperson said: "Long waiting times are falling each period successful Wales and person much than halved successful the past year.

"The wide maturation successful waiting lists ... has been smaller successful Wales than successful England implicit the past 12 months."

In England, the waiting database for infirmary treatments successful England successful June was much than 3 cardinal higher than it was earlier the pandemic, hitting 7.57 cardinal people.

Of those connected a waiting list, much 383,000 radical person been waiting longer than a year.

Official counterparts successful Northern Ireland person besides been invited to the gathering successful the lack of a functioning government.

Mr Barclay has asked UK wellness ministers to sermon however wellness information tin beryllium made much comparable, and what "lessons tin beryllium learnt" from antithetic approaches taken successful each nation.

While determination whitethorn beryllium merits successful discussing shared challenges and solutions, wellness has been utilized arsenic a governmental onslaught enactment ever since the pandemic.

As it's tally by antithetic parties successful each portion of the UK, seemingly well-meaning letters and meetings betwixt the governments person often been utilized to instrumentality a veiled popular astatine each others' approach.

For years, UK authorities insiders person mulled the thought of creating much centrally held, comparable information connected NHS show crossed the UK. If this happened, it whitethorn beryllium easier to spot which of these attacks - oregon not - are truly justified.

Labour's shadiness wellness caput Wes Streeting said: "What's next, the Conservatives offering proposal connected bringing owe costs down?

"The lone proposal the Tories are qualified to connection is however to wreck the NHS and origin the biggest strikes successful its history."