No deal: significant work to be done

Although the government has done a lot to manage the risk, there is still ‘significant work to be done’, the watchdog said. This includes improving the government’s understanding of preparedness across the supplier base, ensuring sufficient freight capacity to carry priority goods and improving the readiness of the social care sector including nursing homes.

The report reviews the Department of Health and Social Care’s preparations to make sure the UK has a steady flow of supplies for the care sector when it leaves the EU. It acknowledges that it is not possible to know exactly what will happen at the border if the UK leaves without a deal. However, the government’s own ‘reasonable worst case’ assumption is that the flow of goods across the Channel could be reduced to between 40% and 60% of current levels on day one.

NHS Providers deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery said the report showed the level of uncertainty that remains just a month away from a possible exit. And she highlighted the lack of certainty about the readiness of social care providers as a key concern. ‘Millions of vulnerable people will turn to the NHS for greater support should the sector be negatively impacted in terms of staffing and supplies,’ she said.