‘No deal’ having adverse impact on services

NHS managers’ ability to focus on transformation work is being hampered by the need to prepare for a possible ‘no-deal’ Brexit.

By late February, Parliament had still not ratified the government’s proposed EU withdrawal agreement, increasing the prospect of the UK leaving the EU without an agreement in place.

A report by the Wales Audit Office said most public bodies were taking ‘no-deal’ planning seriously. But public services in general lacked capacity to manage Brexit and this was having an adverse impact on other service areas.

In the NHS, it said, audits had raised concern about the impact on transformation work, with the ‘same cadre of management staff’ managing the implications of ‘no-deal’.

Key risks identified by NHS bodies include medical supplies, food supplies, workforce, and wider wellbeing. But there are also concerns around research and development and reciprocal healthcare arrangements.

A briefing by the Welsh NHS Confederation said EU nationals accounted for 3% of the NHS Wales workforce, rising to 7% for medical and dental professionals. It remains concerned about visa proposals in the immigration white paper and called for a guarantee that the settled status programme be honoured if ‘no-deal’ proceeds.

In mid-February health and social care secretary Matt Hancock told Parliament the Department of Health and Social Care had so far spent about £11m on ‘no-deal’ contingency plans. This did not include stockpiled medicines, which were being bought by the pharmaceutical industry.

‘I am confident if everyone does what they need to do, the supply of medicines will continue unhindered,’ he said, adding that leaving with a deal remained the government’s top priority.