Brexit to harm UK's cherished health service, experts say

By Kate Kelland

 

FILE PHOTO: EU Chief Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier walks behind European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and British Prime Minister Theresa May at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium February 7, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman

 

LONDON, Feb 25 (Reuters) - A British exit from the EU without a deal would have "an immediate and drastic" impact on availability of medicines and vaccines as well as affecting health system funding and staffing, experts warned on Monday.

 

Although a no-deal Brexit was the worst scenario, even a negotiated divorce from the European Union would also damage the National Health Service (NHS), the experts said in a review published in The Lancet journal.

 

Britain is scheduled to leave the bloc on March 29th, and Prime Minister Theresa May has yet to secure parliament's backing for her negotiated EU withdrawal agreement.

 

The Lancet review, led by three UK health policy specialists, found that even under this deal or potential variations of it before the deadline, Brexit's health impact would be only slightly less harmful than in a no-deal scenario.

 

"Some people will dismiss our analysis as 'Project Fear'. But with just over a month to go to Brexit ... it just isn’t good enough to keep saying that 'something will work out' without any details of exactly how," said Martin McKee, a professor at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine who co-led the review.

 

The analysis used available legal and political texts on four Brexit scenarios to assess likely impact on the state-funded NHS, a much-cherished though increasingly strained pillar of Britain's welfare services.

 

It found that one major problem from Brexit under all scenarios would be staff recruitment and retention - in part because few provisions have been made for immigration of health workers to the UK or for long-term recognition of professional qualifications.

 

It also said that "under a no-deal Brexit, the absence of a legal framework for imports and exports is expected to have an immediate and drastic effect on supply chains" for medicines, vaccines, medical devices and equipment.

 

Despite government assurances, the analysis said, shortages would be likely because stockpiling cannot cover more than a few weeks and some products - such as radioisotopes used in medical imaging for diagnosis - cannot be stockpiled.

 

The British government has asked UK drugmakers to build an additional six weeks' worth of stockpiles to prepare for any no-deal Brexit, a target the industry has said will be challenging.

 

The review said that as one of the largest areas of public spending, any negative impact on the economy - however short-term - would put extra pressure on health service financing.

 

(Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-02-26

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

"Some people will dismiss our analysis as 'Project Fear'.

It is project fear.

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

Martin McKee, a professor at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine who co-led the review.

Another left wing lecturer no doubt.  I would love to know if he or his department get to benefit for writing this. Funding by any chance.

12 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

It is project fear.

Another left wing lecturer no doubt.  I would love to know if he or his department get to benefit for writing this. Funding by any chance.

 

Luke, the anti-intellectualism in this one is strong...

Not according to the Boris bus it will be part of the better deal out than in or was that just a lie to make him richer????

Brexit to harm UK's cherished health service, experts say

Where were these so called experts when the governments ran down the much cherished health service, X = an unknown factor ,,SPERT = a drop of fluid under pressure ,

51 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

It is project fear.

Another left wing lecturer no doubt.  I would love to know if he or his department get to benefit for writing this. Funding by any chance.

It is hard to accept the truth when the ego's cherished ideas are threatened, one has to resort then to conspiracy theories. Wasn't Brexit supposed to benefit the NHS ? All that extra money freed up. Wasn't Brexit to allow the UK to be awash with WTO deals with other countries ? Instead British manufacturing industry is warning of a disaster along with the Insurance companies. Wake up, heaven isn't in the next field along, the EU has its failings but it is the best we have.

1 hour ago, soalbundy said:

It is hard to accept the truth when the ego's cherished ideas are threatened, one has to resort then to conspiracy theories. Wasn't Brexit supposed to benefit the NHS ? All that extra money freed up. Wasn't Brexit to allow the UK to be awash with WTO deals with other countries ? Instead British manufacturing industry is warning of a disaster along with the Insurance companies. Wake up, heaven isn't in the next field along, the EU has its failings but it is the best we have.

And blue passports. Don’t forget the blue passports...

 

As for the trade deals. They have to leave the EU first. Then people will be queueing up around the block to sign them the very next day. Promise!

Edited February 26, 20197 yr by samran

1 hour ago, billy54 said:

Brexit to harm UK's cherished health service, experts say

Where were these so called experts when the governments ran down the much cherished health service, X = an unknown factor ,,SPERT = a drop of fluid under pressure ,

I am not sure what papers you read, but our health professionals have been protesting loudly for years about successive governments' disdain for the NHS. The experts have been very vocal. 

Further details of the preparations underway to minimise disruption of the supply of medicines and medical products in a no-deal EU Exit.

Update on medicines and medical products supply as we exit the EU

 

The real ‘Brexit’ threat to the NHS is the ‘post-Brexit’ trade deal with the US.

 

It takes a special kind of willful ignorance not to recognize that US health insurers, US big pharma and US private health care providers are not looking at the NHS as ripe for plucking.

 

It took the combined effort of the EU to fight off the last attempt by the US to move in on the NHS. 

 

Good of luck going cap in hand begging for a trade deal from Washington.

 

The US will ‘pleasure’ the UK and the NHS in ways beyond the UK’s control.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/feb/07/theresa-may-refuses-to-rule-out-nhs-contracts-from-us-trade-deals

4 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The real ‘Brexit’ threat to the NHS is the ‘post-Brexit’ trade deal with the US.

 

It takes a special kind of willful ignorance not to recognize that US health insurers, US big pharma and US private health care providers are not looking at the NHS as ripe for plucking.

 

It took the combined effort of the EU to fight off the last attempt by the US to move in on the NHS. 

 

Good of luck going cap in hand begging for a trade deal from Washington.

 

The US will ‘pleasure’ the UK and the NHS in ways beyond the UK’s control.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/feb/07/theresa-may-refuses-to-rule-out-nhs-contracts-from-us-trade-deals

Aw bless.

 

From non elected bureaucrats in Brussels to non elected big pharama lobbyists is Washington. 

 

 

20 minutes ago, evadgib said:

Further details of the preparations underway to minimise disruption of the supply of medicines and medical products in a no-deal EU Exit.

Update on medicines and medical products supply as we exit the EU

 

“Yes, let’s totally disrupt our medical supply chain and make it more expensive” said no country ever...

1 hour ago, RuamRudy said:

I am not sure what papers you read, but our health professionals have been protesting loudly for years about successive governments' disdain for the NHS. The experts have been very vocal. 

????????????

3 hours ago, soalbundy said:

It is hard to accept the truth when the ego's cherished ideas are threatened, one has to resort then to conspiracy theories. Wasn't Brexit supposed to benefit the NHS ? All that extra money freed up. Wasn't Brexit to allow the UK to be awash with WTO deals with other countries ? Instead British manufacturing industry is warning of a disaster along with the Insurance companies. Wake up, heaven isn't in the next field along, the EU has its failings but it is the best we have.

Have you forgotten the 'project fear from George Osborne and how he was proved wrong?

 

As for the EU has failings I am glad you see that but I disagree with its the best we have. We haven't had a chance to be independent of the EU and the EU don't want to give us that chance.

11 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

We haven't had a chance to be independent of the EU and the EU don't want to give us that chance.

I didn’t realise that the EU voted on the British parliament? 

Edited February 26, 20197 yr by samran

2 minutes ago, samran said:

I didn’t realise that the EU voted on the British parliament? 

I didn't mention they voted on the UK's parliament. However if you feel that the EU do not have any influence over the MP's, who see over legislation the I will take you off my list of those with intellect.

 

31 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

I didn't mention they voted on the UK's parliament. However if you feel that the EU do not have any influence over the MP's, who see over legislation the I will take you off my list of those with intellect.

 

You may as well. I took you off mine a while back. 

 

Everything is a conspiracy to you. 

Edited February 26, 20197 yr by samran

28 minutes ago, samran said:

You may as well. I took you off mine a while back. 

 

Everything is a conspiracy to you. 

It would seem that the word conspiracy means everything that doesn't agree with your view.

Just now, Laughing Gravy said:

It would seem that the word conspiracy means everything that doesn't agree with your view.

No, it’s what you claim everyone else is up to after you back Brexit despite the glaring absence of a plan.

5 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

It would seem that the word conspiracy means everything that doesn't agree with your view.

Maybe it’s because I don’t go around blaming others for my own failures.

 

Tell me, how are all those new shiny trade deals going? 

Edited February 26, 20197 yr by samran

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

No, it’s what you claim everyone else is up to after you back Brexit despite the glaring absence of a plan.

My plan like many others was always to leave old bean. It is the Pm and MP's who are doing their very best to prevent us leaving. Hence the farcical episodes we are having in the HoC each week with amendment after amendment.

 

Leaving on WTO is a plan just something many MP's can't cope with it would seem.

 

Well you read some right old rubbish on the internet. How on earth would stopping the flow of freeloading foreigners coming to the UK to avail themselves of our free healthcare harm the NHS? If anything it will help to save our NHS if it goes back to treating Brits like it was designed to do. 

2 minutes ago, samran said:

Maybe it’s because I don’t go around blaming others for my own failures.

 

Tell me, how are all those new shiny trade deals going? 

Tell me where have I said about shiny trade deals????

 

You have obviously just gatecrashed these threads as those that follow them will know, I am what is called a hard brexiteer now. It use to be a leave voter but a term used by remainers who can't accept the Referendum result.

 

I don't care about deals and as you should know, none can be done until we leave the EU. We haven't left yet.

 

So answer the first line and I will reply. I have a feeling it will be a long time though.

56 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

Leaving on WTO is a plan <snip>

 

Really?

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-45112872

5 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Really?

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-45112872

Yes just not one you may like or many other reamaining MPs it would seem.

1 minute ago, Laughing Gravy said:

Yes just not one you may like or many other reamaining MPs it would seem.

I guess there’s always that Plan B promised some months back by Rees-Moffat, Johnson, Davis and Fox.

 

Has anybody seen it?

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Well you read some right old rubbish on the internet. How on earth would stopping the flow of freeloading foreigners coming to the UK to avail themselves of our free healthcare harm the NHS? If anything it will help to save our NHS if it goes back to treating Brits like it was designed to do. 

Free? The NHS charges patients for non-emergency healthcare if they not entitled to free treatment. Nothing to do with 'freeloading foreigners'. 

 

I don't believe that the NHS charter states that it is there to serve British people only - goes somewhat against the Hippocratic oath, I would have thought? 

3 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

Yes just not one you may like or many other reamaining MPs it would seem.

Why a WTO only exit would be bad for Britain. 

 

http://theconversation.com/no-deal-seven-reasons-why-a-wto-only-brexit-would-be-bad-for-britain-102009

11 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I guess there’s always that Plan B promised some months back by Rees-Moffat, Johnson, Davis and Fox.

 

Has anybody seen it?

That's what happens when 17m people put their faith in the hands of a bunch of spivs of mediocre ability - they are promised the world and are delivered next to nothing. 

Edited February 26, 20197 yr by RuamRudy

The only way to improve funding for the NHS is by increasing taxes.

Labour will increase taxes but won't put it in their manifesto.

The Tories will increase taxes but will say in their manifesto that they will cut taxes.

The LibDems will increase taxes and will say so in their manifesto. Nobody will vote them in.