There has been lots of coverage recently regarding the supply of medicines and medical products after Brexit. Patients can be fully reassured that the Government is making all necessary preparations to ensure an uninterrupted supply following Brexit, whatever the circumstances.
Here are the facts:
- We continue to work closely with the NHS and pharmaceutical suppliers through a wide-ranging approach as part of these preparations, including:
- an express freight service, which we are currently in the process of procuring, to bring medicines and medical products into the UK within 24 to 72 hours if required;
- instructing suppliers to stockpile at least six weeks’ worth of stock of medicines and medical products, over and above the usual buffer stocks;
- securing additional freight capacity for bringing medicines and medical products into the country, and additional warehousing capacity for storing medicines and medical products;
- working closely with the pharmaceutical industry to improve their readiness for new border arrangements when we leave the EU; and
- putting in place the National Supply Disruption Response to ensure appropriate management of any shortages, should these occur for any reason.
All of these measures will help to ensure the uninterrupted supply of medicines and medical products following Brexit.
Patients should continue to order their repeat prescriptions and keep taking their medicines as normal. We urge patients to not ask for more medicines than they normally need, this is unnecessary. Occasionally, the NHS does experience temporary disruption to supply of some medicines for reasons that are totally unrelated to Brexit. The NHS has tried-and-tested ways of making sure you get your medicines and medical products, even under difficult circumstances.
You can find out more information on what the Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS is doing to prepare for Brexit here.
Recent Comments