Chaotic no-deal Brexit could see operations slashed, warns NHS trust boss
NHS bosses are concerned about the impact of a chaotic no-deal Brexit - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
A chaotic no-deal Brexit could lead to operations being 'curtailed' and waiting lists increasing, the boss of one of the country's leading hospital groups has warned.
Dr David Rosser, chief executive of University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) NHS Foundation Trust, said a no-deal exit could see many trusts run out of medical supplies.
He warned it 'seemed inevitable' that his trust would need to curtail some surgeries and treatments if Brexit caused supply problems.
Dr Rosser said if his trust had to postpone most or all of its 'non-urgent surgical and interventional activity', waiting lists could increase by 15% a month.
But he said it was not clear whether any problems would affect a small number of complex procedures or result in a 'complete curtailment of all elective activity'.
You may also want to watch:
Dr Rosser added: 'It seems inevitable that the trust will need to curtail some surgical/interventional activity if there are supply problems caused by a no-deal Brexit.
'But it is unclear whether this would manifest as a small number of the most complex procedures through to complete curtailment of all elective activity.'
Most Read
- 1 The greatest failure of government in our lifetime
- 2 The bigot we should have called out on day one
- 3 Matt Hancock praises free school meals before being reminded he voted against them
- 4 Nigel Farage launches new party in Scotland to promote 'positive case for the Union'
- 5 Brexiteer MP ridiculed after calling for free movement of goods between GB and NI
- 6 The polling that signals the plight of the Union
- 7 Brexiteer says he'd never have voted for Brexit 'if we knew we'd lose our jobs'
- 8 The worryingly familiar signs for Britain's vaccine roll-out
- 9 Brexit changes lead to exodus of Brits from Spain, UK nationals claim
- 10 The Fuhrer's fake news - one of history's greatest hoaxes
His concerns were raised in a memo to the UHB board of directors last week after the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) asked health and care providers to undertake 'local EU exit readiness planning' for a no-deal Brexit.
Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29 and MPs voted for prime minister Theresa May to return to Brussels to renegotiate parts of the Withdrawal Agreement last night.
In the memo, Dr Rosser said the greatest concern was the availability of medicines, devices and clinical supplies, despite central stockpiling.
He added: 'In the event of a chaotic, no-deal exit, many NHS trusts could quickly run out of vital medical supplies.
'Even where there has been central stockpiling, the logistics and urgency of local distribution will be a completely unprecedented challenge.'
He added that the DHSC had identified potential supply shortcomings, but the findings had not been shared with trusts.
Staffing is another concern raised in the document, with Dr Rosser writing that UHB employs around 1,200 EU staff, of which 262 are doctors and 375 are nurses or midwives.
He wrote: 'Whilst we have not seen large-scale departures so far, it is quite likely that an even more hostile public atmosphere towards Europe in the event of no deal, combined with a further fall in sterling against the euro and other currencies, would affect staff morale and potentially decisions to stay and work in the UK.'
NHS Providers deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery said a disorderly Brexit could pose a risk to the supply of medicines and equipment as well as staff.
She added: 'We need clear and robust assurances that the continued, timely supply of medicines and equipment is protected.
'Individually each of these concerns would be serious but collectively they could have a substantial impact on the ability of trusts to continue to provide the same level of services and treatment for patients.'
A DHSC spokesman said: 'We are working closely with the NHS, industry and the supply chain to make detailed plans to ensure continued access to healthcare, medical devices and clinical supplies in the event of no deal.
'We have produced guidance and shared the government's planning assumptions to help inform the NHS's own preparations.'
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.