NHS planning for No Deal

THE NHS is taking steps to make sure it has the medication and equipment it needs in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

Chief executive Simon Stevens said ‘significant planning’ was under way to ensure the supply of medicines will not be affected if the European Union does not agree to a trade deal. He told the BBC: ‘There is immediate planning which the Health Department along with other departments are undertaking around securing medicine supply and equipment under different scenarios.’

About 37 million packs of medicine are imported to the UK from the EU every month – but 45 million go from the UK to the EU, suggesting there is a mutual dependence.