Leaving the EU with a deal remains the government’s top
priority and would give businesses the stability and
certainty to prepare for our new relationship after EU
Exit. However, the government must plan for every
possible outcome, including no deal.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
is working closely with trade bodies, product suppliers,
the health and care system in England, the devolved
administrations and crown dependencies (the Isle of Man,
Jersey and Guernsey) to make detailed plans to ensure the
continued supply of medical products to the UK in the
event of a no-deal EU Exit.
Together with industry and the health and care
system, DHSC has
analysed:
- the supply chains of 12,300 medicines
- almost half a million product lines of medical
devices and clinical consumables
- vaccines used in national and local programmes
- essential non-clinical goods on which the health and
care system relies, such as linen, scrubs and food
Around three-quarters of the medicines and over half of
the clinical consumables we use come from or via the EU.
The main risk to supply is reduced traffic flow between
the ports of Calais and Dover or Folkestone.
DHSC also
has responsibility to ensure medicines supply on behalf
of the devolved administrations and crown dependencies,
and they have accepted the department’s offer to manage
the supply on their behalf. All supply arrangements
therefore take into account the requirements for the
whole of the UK. There has been excellent engagement from
all parties, and preparation plans are well advanced as a
result.
Following this analysis, DHSC has
put in place a multi-layered approach to minimise any
supply disruption, including:
- securing, via the Department for Transport,
additional roll-on, roll-off freight capacity away from
Dover and Folkestone for goods to continue to come into
the UK from 29 March
- buffer stocks and stockpiling, where this is
practical, or asking industry or NHS Supply Chain to
build up buffer stocks in the UK before 29 March
- buying extra warehouse space to hold additional stock
- booking space on aeroplanes for products that require
an immediate shipment due to short shelf-life or specific
storage conditions
- making changes to, or clarifications of, regulatory
requirements so companies can continue to sell their
products in the UK even if we have no deal
- strengthening the processes and resources used to
deal with shortages in the event that they do occur
despite everyone’s efforts
A combination of securing freight, buffer stocks,
stockpiling and warehousing, and regulatory flexibility
will be required help to ensure the continuation of
medical supplies.
By securing additional freight capacity to ensure a
continued flow of products, stockpiling and providing
warehouse storage capacity as a further contingency, and
removing regulatory barriers, medicines and medical
products should continue to be available for the NHS,
other healthcare providers and the public in the event of
a no-deal EU exit.
Local stockpiling is unnecessary and could cause
shortages in other areas, which could put patient care at
risk. It is important that patients order their repeat
prescriptions as normal and keep taking their medicines
as normal.
While we never give guarantees, we are confident that, if
everyone – including suppliers, freight companies, our
international partners, and the health and care system –
does what they need to do, the supply of medicines and
medical products should be uninterrupted in the event of
exiting the EU without a deal.
More information can be found in the written
ministerial statement to the House of Commons on Monday
25 February.
