Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS will implement before Christmas 2018 contingency plans covering the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

On 18 December 2018, the Cabinet agreed to proceed with the Government’s next phase of ‘no deal’ planning. With just over three months until our exit from the European Union, we have now reached the point where we need to accelerate and intensify these preparations. It has always been the case that as we get nearer to March 2019, preparations for a no deal scenario would have to be accelerated. Preparing for ‘no deal’ is now an operational priority for the Government. This means we will set in motion our remaining ‘no deal’ plans.

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care wrote to frontline health and care organisations on 7 December 2018 to update them on the Government’s preparations for a potential ‘no deal’ Brexit and what the health and care system needs to consider in the period leading up to March 2019.

On 21 December 2018, the Department published ‘EU Exit operational readiness guidance’, developed and agreed with NHS England and NHS Improvement. This guidance lists the actions that providers and commissioners of health and care services in England should take if the United Kingdom leaves the EU without a ratified deal – a ‘no deal’ exit. This will ensure organisations are prepared for, and can manage, the risks in such a scenario. This guidance was sent to all frontline health and care organisations to ensure the health and care system as a whole is prepared.