Yahoo News Hospitals could run out of drugs in no-deal Brexit, leaked letter to NHS bosses warns
Hospitals could run out of drugs and disease control could suffer in the event of a no-deal Brexit, a leaked letter sent to NHS bosses has warned.
In a leaked letter from NHS Providers, it has been warned that there has been a failure to prepare for the UK's medical services if the country leaves the EU without a deal.
Disease control, could suffer, the membership association and trade organisation for medics said.
Chris Hopson, NHS Providers chief executive said: “Public health and disease control co-ordination could suffer.”
He added that "the entire supply chain of pharmaceuticals could be negatively affected" by a hard Brexit or no deal, adding the EU citizens who make up the workforce could be “jeopardised”.
Mr Hopson's letter was sent to NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens and NHS Improvement chief Ian Dalton on Friday, and has been leaked to the Times.
Thousands of anti-Brexit activists march to Parliament in protest
Thousands of anti-Brexit activists march to Parliament in protest
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Demonstrators head towards Parliament Square.
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Signs include 'I love EU'
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The pro-EU march began in Hyde Park Corner.
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'NHS? Brexit Wrexit'
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The march took protesters through the streets of London.
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One protester brought along a papier mache Queen, in reference to the blue and yellow hat she wore at the State Opening of Parliament.
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'Exit Brexit'
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The September sun shone as activists marched through the streets.
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Roads were blocked during the protest.
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The campaigners set off shortly after 11am from Hyde Park Corner.
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The rally saw the activists march through the streets of central London.
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EU colours of blue and yellow were seen throughout the march.
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Mr Hopson said the possibility of a no-deal or hard Brexit "with minimal regulatory alignment appears to be growing".
"For as long as that risk remains, it is important that detailed operation planning is undertaken across the NHS," he wrote.
"Yet trusts tell us that their work in this area is being hampered by the lack of visible and appropriate communication.
"Our members have begun planning ... but they have hit a problem, in that some activities are clearly best done at a national level and, in the view of trusts, are best co-ordinated by NHS England and NHS Improvement.
"However there has been no formal communication to trusts from either of your organisations on this issue."
Mr Hopson warned it would be more "efficient and effective" for ministers and the NHS bodies to work out a national contingency plan for trusts, rather than "expecting trusts to develop contingency plans individually, in a vacuum, and have to reinvent the wheel 229 times".
Poor national co-ordination, he added, could mean "both stockpiles and shortages of medicines and medical devices".
A spokesman for NHS Providers confirmed the letter was genuine but stressed it had not been leaked by his organisation.
"We have not leaked this letter," he said. "These conversations about Brexit are obviously something that happened between ourselves and the other organisations.
"This correspondence was private but it has been leaked and we are not saying anything further about it."
Last month Mr Stevens said "extensive" planning was taking place to prepare for a no-deal scenario.
"There is immediate planning which the health department, with other parts of Government, are undertaking around securing medicine supply and equipment under different scenarios," he said.
"That will obviously crystallise when it's clear later this autumn what the UK's position will be."
Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab will head to Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday for the latest round of negotiations with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, which a Downing Street spokesman said would be "resolving the few remaining withdrawal issues".
