Patients need protecting in Brexit negotiations

An alliance of leading healthcare organisations has called on the government to protect the interests of patients in Brexit negotiations with the EU.

The Brexit Health Alliance, which brings together the NHS, medical research, industry, patients and public health organisations, has warned that patients are at risk unless negotiators ensure issues such as healthcare research and access to new medicines are given the attention needed.

The warning comes as the alliance publishes a set of priority areas negotiators must reach agreement on to achieve the best result for patients and healthcare across the UK, including: maximum levels of research and innovation collaboration; regulatory alignment for the benefit of patients and population health; preservation of reciprocal healthcare arrangements; robust coordination mechanisms on public health and well-being; and a strong funding commitment to the health and public health sectors.

The alliance argues that it is in both Europe’s and the UK’s interests to maintain cooperation on all these areas.

The group is also calling for EU citizens’ right to receive healthcare in the UK to be preserved.

Niall Dickson, co-chair of the alliance, said: “Patients stand to lose out if we cannot go on collaborating in major medical research studies; if we cannot access new treatments and medical devices as we do now; and if UK nationals in the EU are no longer able to benefit from access to healthcare abroad, and vice versa.”