Department of Health and Social Care Update in regards to a NO Deal Brexit

27 Feb 2019

Stephen Hammond MP, Minister of State for Health, has written to the NHS, Adult Social Care, Royal Colleges and Charities to provide an update on work to ensure the continuity of supply of medicines and medicinal products in the event the UK leaves the EU with no deal.

These include:

  1. Building up buffer stocks and stockpiling before 29th March for approx. 7000 Prescription only medicines and Pharmacy only medicines
  2. For approximately 500 General Sales List medicines DHSC are working with supplies to assure contingency plans for those products.

He goes on to state that although the NHS Supply chain organisation normally covers England , there has been close collaboration with the national procurement and logistics services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to ensure that the demand levels for the UK are covered.

  1. Strengthening the processes and resources used to deal with shortages

Mr.Hammond confirmed that legislation has now been put in place to enable Ministers to issue serious shortage protocols that where appropriate will enable community pharmacists to supply against a protocol instead of a prescription without going back to the prescriber first, and further details will follow.

The NPA is working closely with other pharmacy organisations and the government about preparations for Brexit.

Read the full written statement from Department of Health and Social Care by Stephen Hammond here.

More further information please visit the new Brexit https://www.npa.co.uk/brexit/