Brexit will pose serious challenges to the NHS and
healthcare in the UK including: longer waiting times, increased
pressure on staffing levels, a reduction in rights when
travelling and delays in the approvals of medicines, a new report
by academic think tank The UK in a Changing Europe finds.
The report, Brexit and the NHS, argues that while the
NHS already faces funding pressures, these might increase as a
result of the impact of leaving the EU.
This might reduce the funds available
for healthcare, which will have direct knock-on effects on
waiting times, recovery rates and quality of care.
Around 200,000 EU nationals work in the health and social
care sectors. They are pivotal to the NHS in London, south east
England and Northern Ireland. These areas could become vulnerable
to skills shortages should future immigration rules be more
restrictive. Fewer staff could lead to
a reduction in service quality.
Reciprocal rights for
patients across the EU allow access to healthcare. UK nationals
may need to take out private health insurance in the event of
changes to the current regime. This could have particularly
negative consequences for the elderly and those with chronic
conditions.
On the island of Ireland health care provision in areas
such as sexual health, diabetes and eating disorders is
integrated across the border. The radiotherapy centre at
Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry/Londonderry is accessible to
patients in County Donegal in the Republic who would otherwise
have to travel long distances to obtain the same
treatment.
Such integration is facilitated by the EU
directive on mutual recognition of professional
qualifications. EU rules
on data protection enable sharing of
patient details. While continuing cooperation can be facilitated
post-Brexit the report highlights the challenges if agreements
are not put in place.
There are serious implications for the markets for drugs
and medical devices, including:
i. The
UK may lose access to EU monitoring and notification
systems for pharmaceuticals
ii. UK
approved pharmaceuticals may not be approved by use across the
EU
iii. New
drugs may be less likely to be launched in the UK, which may
become a comparatively low priority market given its relative
size to the EU.
A new EU Clinical Trials
Database, into which all clinical trial
applications must be entered, has been set up. The UK would not
have access to it unless a specific agreement is reached, which
could impact on UK researchers wanting to undertake cross-EU
clinical trials.
UK organisations are the largest beneficiaries
of EU health research
funds. EU legal frameworks –
for instance on data protection, human tissue regulation and
safety of clinical trials - underpin cross-border
collaboration.
Equally, The Rapid Alert System for Human
Tissues and Cells (RATC) and the Rapid Alert System for Blood and
Blood Components (RAB) enable information regarding
adverse reactions to be shared quickly across member states. The
UK would not have access to these rapid alert and information
systems unless there were specific sectoral agreements in
place.
Brexit may also have impact on health in the devolveds. In
Wales, the withdrawal of EU funding might have an adverse impact
on the determinants of health. In Scotland, several health
projects have benefited from EU funding, which may cease by the
end of any transition phase. In Northern Ireland cooperation on
health-related goods and services, health professionals and
patients, and the sharing of facilities and funding will be
challenged by Brexit.
Professor Anand Menon, director of The UK in a Changing
Europe, said: “This report shows the UK’s future relationship
with the EU will play a critical role in the health and
well-being of the country. Our aim has been to make clear the
potential challenges so they can be anticipated and appropriate
action taken.”
The UK in a Changing Europe’s Brexit and the NHS
conference takes place on Wednesday 14
March at the Wellcome Collection,
Euston, London. Keynote speaker is Lord David Owen and
panelists include MPs Dr and Dr and chief executive of
NHS Employers, Danny Mortimer, and Professor Martin McKee.
