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Welsh and UK government to co-operate on NHS reform

WELSH First Minister Eluned Morgan has insisted “we’re ready to learn” after sharing improvement ideas for the NHS in England and Wales.

Wales Secretary Jo Stevens told Labour delegates at its party conference that the two governments at either end of the M4 motorway would work in partnership to drive down waiting lists.

Baroness Morgan pointed to free hospital parking and prescriptions in Wales and said, while the NHS in Wales needed reform, some key changes had already been made.

The First Minister pointed to “a new GP contract to eliminate the 8am bottleneck, teeth cleaning programmes in schools and care homes, ambitious community prescribing schemes and dedicated mental health support in schools and via phone lines.”

She added: “But we are not claiming a monopoly on good ideas. We’re ready to learn from our neighbours and we are happy to share where we have already delivered.”

Ms Stevens said the UK government would take inspiration from Wales on dentistry, where she claimed reforms had unlocked almost 400,000 appointments in the last two years and said the Welsh government would benefit from best practices shared by NHS England.

Plaid Cymru’s health spokesman Mabon ap Gwynfor warned the move must not undermine Welsh devolution on health and said the touted partnership of ideas lacked clarity and investment.

He said: “Plaid Cymru has consistently called for bold action to overhaul the NHS in Wales.

“We need to be investing properly in the preventative agenda to keep people out of hospital and harnessing technological innovations to bring care closer to home.”

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