NHS chiefs reveal plans for no-deal Brexit impact

Commissioning Group (CCG) revealed their own Brexit plans for Wearside this week.

Chief Finance Officer, David Chandler, said the CCG would continue with a “business as usual” approach in line with national and regional advice.

While wider schemes are in place around the stockpiling of medicines, the health chief revealed other measures have been put in place locally.

This includes senior roles with responsibility for EU exit preparations at CCG, health trust and council levels.

Additionally, the CCG has set up a “EU exit preparations task and finish group” alongside drafting action plans to deal with risks - although many are being managed nationally.

David Chandler said: “Some of the areas we have been asked to focus on include the supply of medicines and vaccines, the supply of medical devices and clinical consumables and data sharing. We have also been asked to put additional arrangements in place of late in terms of ‘stepping up arrangements’ as is every other organisation, I'm sure, in the country.

“We will have a director 24/7 on call arrangement in place in Sunderland CCG that will cross a few days before and a few days after October 31. That will be in place if necessary.”

The Department for Health and Social Care is leading on guidance for health authorities around any EU exit.

On Wearside, the CCG will work to keep health providers in check and make sure they’re following guidance.The comments came during the CCG's recent Governing Body meeting during a discussion on report on “EU Exit Operational Readiness”.

Although health bosses welcomed the changes, they said uncertainty remained around the current EU leave date of October 31.