I move amendment 1 in my name. Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. I would like to thank the Welsh Conservatives for bringing forward this debate today. As the Welsh Affairs Committee discovered, the increasing divergence between the healthcare systems over the border not only causes confusion for patients who rely on cross-border services, but also difficulty in accessing services. As others will no doubt mention, witnesses to the Welsh Affairs Committee identified problems due to in-country commissioning and a lack of compatibility between healthcare infrastructure on either side of the border. But I want to focus my contribution on the third area, namely GP performers lists.

The maintenance of separate performers lists in England and Wales not only affects the ability of GPs to operate freely on either side of the border, but, as the Welsh Affairs Committee discovered, acts as a barrier to GP recruitment. According to both the British Medical Association and the Welsh NHS Confederation, many GPs will not go through the process of applying separately for inclusion on the list in the neighbouring country, and this has prevented GPs on the English performers list from taking up vacancies on this side of the border. The BMA also highlighted the fact that separate performers lists were preventing locums from operating across the border. This is adversely affecting care, particularly in rural areas close to the border. It has always been difficult recruiting GPs in rural areas, and with an ageing population of GPs, we are starting to see more and more rural practices close. However, if those practices were able to rely on support from neighbouring practices on the other side of the border, we would be able to offer primary care in those areas.

The people of Wales expect a national health service—a service that delivers first-class healthcare, regardless of where you live or where you receive treatment. The inability of GPs and locums to operate cross-border is adversely affecting healthcare in rural Wales. I am not opposed to increased divergence in the healthcare systems in England and Wales, but that divergence should not impact on the level and quality of treatment for patients. UKIP believes there should be a single performers list for England and Wales, and calls upon the Cabinet Secretary to work with the Department of Health to achieve that aim. Bureaucracy and processes should never get in the way of patient care. I urge Members to support the amendment tabled in my name. Diolch yn fawr. Thank you very much.