THERE are more more English patients signed up with GPs in Wales than vice versa, Welsh MPs heard today.

The revelation comes as the political fight over the state of the NHS in Wales continues.

The director of the NHS Confederation in Wales, Helen Birtwhistle, gave evidence to the Welsh Affairs committee today on cross-border health matters.

She said 20,000 English patients were registered with Welsh GPs compared to 15,000 Welsh patients with English GPs, adding no extra money comes to Wales for the additional 5,000 patients.

She admitted that more people from Wales go to England for hospital care. She said this traffic, most often in mid and north Wales, was down to the lack of "secondary care in some areas" saying, Powys had no district general hospital, for instance.

Following the session, Ms Birtwhistle said: “While the systems of healthcare delivery are very different between England and Wales, we believe that the ultimate goal to deliver safe, compassionate and high quality care to patients is shared between the two nations."