Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS Trust leaders on planning for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care regularly engages with stakeholders, agencies, arms-length bodies, and other Government Departments about European Union exit preparations.

On 23 August 2018, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care wrote to all National Health Service organisations, general practitioners, community pharmacies and other service providers.

The letter set out what the health and care system needs to consider in the period leading up to March 2019, including:

- the continued supply of medical products in the event of no deal; and

- business continuity plans.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care also wrote to health and care providers on 7 December 2018 to update them on the Government's preparations for a potential no-deal Brexit. The letter provides an update on what the health and care system needs to consider in the period leading up to March 2019. It includes plans relating to the continued supply of:

- medicines and vaccines;

- medical devices and clinical consumables;

- blood and other products of human origin; and

- non-clinical consumables, goods and services.

The letter also contains information on the health and care workforce, research and clinical trials, and business continuity plans.