Devon NHS winter care plan: Brexit adds additional threat of disruption to social care, medicines and supplies
From the newly published plan:
‘Leaving the European Union entails a number of changes to the eligibility of EU nationals to United Kingdom health and care services and of UK nationals to equivalent services in the EU. The adult social care workforce nationally and locally includes significant numbers of EU nationals. In Devon, residential and nursing care is more exposed than domiciliary care, especially the registered nurse role.
‘If the UK leaves the EU without a deal on the 1st January 2021 there are likely to be impediments to the free movement of goods and services including medicines and medical supplies. We are also mindful that leaving the EU without a deal may have impacts on provider costs in a period when the pandemic has put additional pressure on their financial sustainability.
‘We continue to make the Government aware of these risks, most of which would emerge over time rather than immediately, and work across the council with our partnersto do what we can to mitigate them.’
Seaton & Colyton MATTERS 