Health unions warn no-deal Brexit could cause ‘fatal’ medicine shortages

Stark warning comes as prime minister receives Queen’s assent to prorogue parliament

Health union leaders have issued a stark warning that a no-deal Brexit could “devastate” the NHS and cause fatal medicine shortages arguing “no responsible government should take that risk”.

A joint statement signed by 11 organisations called on the government to take no deal off the table, the day after prime minister Boris Johnson received the Queen’s permission to suspend parliament for more than a month ahead of the EU withdrawal date.

As Mr Johnson’s actions increased the likelihood of Britain leaving the EU without a deal, union bosses warned it could disrupt the supply of life-saving medicines for up to six months and exacerbate the largest staffing crisis in NHS history.

“Many medicines, including life-saving agents for cancer diagnosis and therapy, cannot be stockpiled and, for those that can, stockpiles could run out,” warned executives at the British Medical Association (BMA), Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of Midwives, Unison, GMB, Unite and the TUC.

“These kinds of shortages and delays can be fatal. No responsible government should take that risk.”

The leak of a government dossier a fortnight ago revealed ministers were expecting three months of food, fuel and medicine shortages in the event of no deal.

Dubbed Operation Yellowhammer, the documents revealed medicines would “be vulnerable to severe extended delays”, as three-quarters of the UK’s supplies enter the country across the English Channel.

The union leaders’ statement echoes a letter written to Boris Johnson from the heads of 17 royal colleges and charities, expressing their concern at medicine shortages, which would clash with the start of winter flu season if the UK crashed out of the EU on 31 October.

“The public rightly expects candour from us, and we are simply unable to reassure patients that their health and care won’t be negatively impacted by the UK’s exit from the EU,” they said.

The union leaders also warned that leaving the EU without a deal could intensify the staffing “crisis” in the NHS. Thousands of EU workers have already left since 2016.

“In the event of a no deal, tens of thousands of NHS and care workers from the EU would be left in limbo, intensifying the largest staffing crisis in the service’s history,” the statement said.

“Ministers must unequivocally guarantee the right of European health and care staff to continue to live and work in the UK.”

Emphasising the importance of the contribution currently made by the 65,000 EU nationals working in England’s NHS, Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail told The Independent: “Their contribution to the health service is invaluable and necessary for its smooth running.

“It is sad that the atmosphere generated by Brexit has led many of them to reconsider their future in the UK, where their expertise is so needed.”

The joint statement also highlighted the harm any potential economic fallout could have on health services, which are already stretched to dangerous levels by more than a decade of austerity measures.

“Treasury assessments show that a no-deal scenario would shrink our economy by £90bn, reducing the money available for the NHS and other vital public services.

“After a decade of austerity, health and social care budgets across the country are under immense pressure.

“With waiting times rising, operations being cancelled and yet another winter crisis looming, the health service cannot weather a long-term economic shock,” said the statement.

BMA council chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul told The Independent that a no-deal scenario would present “grave danger” to the nation’s health.

Dr Nagpaul said: “From our invaluable EU workforce to the supply of vital medicines, and collaboration on medical research to Irish cross-border health arrangements, there is practically no area of health that will be unaffected if we crash out without a deal.”

But the likelihood of the UK “crashing out” increased yesterday, after the Queen approved an order from Boris Johnson for parliament to be “prorogued” from the second week in September until 14 October.

House speaker John Bercow decried Mr Johnson’s move as a “constitutional outrage”, while Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon called it “an outrageous assault on democracy”.

“He’s acting more like a dictator than a prime minister,” Ms Sturgeon said in a statement.

At the first major talks held by each party opposed to leaving without a deal, 160 MPs pledged to oppose a no-deal Brexit “using whatever mechanism possible”.

Responding to the warning issued by health unions, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson insisted ministers were taking “all appropriate steps”.

“As part of a responsible government, the department is doing everything appropriate to prepare for Brexit,” the spokesperson said.

“We want to reassure patients that we should be fully prepared for leaving on 31 October, whatever the circumstances.

“We are taking all appropriate steps, meaning our plans should ensure the supply of medicines and medical products remains uninterrupted when we leave the EU.

“And we have been crystal clear that we want our hardworking EU staff to stay in the UK and continue to perform vital roles across the NHS and social care sector.

“We’ve also recently committed £1.8bn for the NHS including funding for new hospital upgrades, and the record healthcare funding increases will continue following Brexit, most notably the extra £33.9bn every year by 2023-24 through the NHS long term plan.”

Additional reporting by PA