SWB Brexit Bulletin – 29 March 2019
April 1, 2019
Welcome to our fourth Brexit bulletin, our weekly guide to the arrangements in place for the NHS as the UK prepares to leave the EU. This week we are introducing our jargon buster relating to healthcare issues.
EU Settlement Scheme: This scheme allows EU citizens who have been in the UK for five years to apply for settled status. EU citizens can apply for pre-settled status if they have been here for less than five years. This will ensure the rights of EU citizens are protected in the UK after EU Exit, and guarantee their status and right to work. The application process is fully open this month and will remain open until 31 December 2020 if the UK leaves without a deal, so there is plenty of time to register. You can find out more here – https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
Reciprocal healthcare: This is an arrangement in place allowing health care services to be available for UK nationals living in the EU, EEA or Switzerland and vice versa. In a ‘no deal’ scenario current reciprocal healthcare rights would need to be protected via transitional bilateral agreements with other member states. These are being sought by the Government and further advice will follow.
Overseas visitor patients: These are people who need healthcare whilst in the UK but who are not usually resident in the UK, and are not entitled to free NHS treatment. Our overseas visitor team assess people’s eligibility for free treatment. Our existing policy remains in place and you are required to ask patients the established questions and refer as appropriate to our overseas visitor team. For more information view https://connect2.swbh.nhs.uk/governance/overseas-visitors-team/
NHSBT: The NHS Blood and Transport service who are co-ordinating the planning for blood, blood components, organs tissues and cells.
Stockpiling: Stockpiling of medicines, equipment and supplies is being co-ordinated at a national level and all NHS organisations are required to confirm that no local stockpiling is taking place. We are assured by NHS England that arrangements for sufficient supplies of essential items are in place and robust.
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and European Medicines Agency: The Department of Health and Social Care analysed the data from these two agencies to identify products that had a manufacturing touch point in the EU or wider EEA countries. Plans are in place to ensure that medicines and vaccines continue to flow to the UK in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario.
PHE: Public Health England (PHE) is leading a separate UK-wide programme ensuring the continuity of supply for centrally-procured vaccines and other products that are distributed to the NHS for the UK National Immunisation Programme or used for urgent public health use. In addition to the national stockpiles that PHE has in place to ensure continued supply to the NHS, PHE continues to work alongside contracted suppliers on their contingency plans to ensure that the flow of these products will continue unimpeded in to the UK after exit day.
ORC: The Operational Response Centre that has been set up by the Department for Health and Social Care with the support of NHS England, NHS Improvement and Public Health England, to co-ordinate EU exit-related information flows and reporting across the health and care system. The Operational Response Centre will also work with devolved administrations to respond to UK-wide incidents.
Sitreps: These are reports that we are required to submit to NHS Digital who collate responses from all NHS Trusts. We report on a daily and weekly basis to identify any issues arising as a result of the EU Exit.
If you have any concerns or comments please send them to tobylewis@nhs.net who is our Senior Responsible Officer for Brexit preparedness.