NHS trusts struggling to produce Brexit plans

An investigation by the BMJ has found that NHS trusts are finding it difficult to produce contingency plans for Brexit because of the ongoing uncertainty about the country’s future relations with the EU.

The investigation found that only nine per cent of trusts in England have established a committee or body to oversee preparations for Brexit, with many unable to accurately forecast how crucial areas such as supply chains, medicines, and workforce will be affected after the 29 March exit deadline.

Additionally, only 47 of the 182 trusts which responded to the BMJ were able to disclose this information, with several saying that they were still assessing the risk. The Department of Health and Social Care for England is overseeing central coordination of risk areas such as drugs, food, medical devices, and clinical consumables, but maintains that trusts are responsible for their own contingency activity.

Trusts across the country have drawn up lists of contracts that could be affected by a no deal Brexit, as requested by the government in October. However, most have been unable to move beyond basic scenario planning. Barts Health in London, England’s largest trust, has publicly rated its financial plans and sustainability as being at ‘high risk’ because of the lack of ‘specific plans and contingencies’ for Brexit.

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, the body that represents NHS trusts in England, told the BMJ: “All of the uncertainty has just exacerbated an already difficult situation. Trusts have planned as far as they can, but so much of this is reliant on central government action. For example, we’re still waiting for an immigration white paper for clarity on what the status of immigration into this country is going to be. That could have been done regardless of whether we had a deal or a no deal Brexit.”