Health Management and Policy Alert

Going it alone: health and Brexit in the UK

Nuffield Trust -
This report looks at six key areas that are being impacted after leaving the Single Market and Customs Union and outlines what NHS, government and business figures expect for the future.

• Report
• Nuffield Trust - press release

What happened to those Brexit medicines shortages?

Nuffield Trust - 

The risk of medical supply shortages loomed large ahead of the UK’s departure from the EU single market at the start of this year, but has that been the case? This long read looks at what’s happened since 1 January 2021. It finds the NHS, government and industry largely succeeded in overcoming the first round with minimal implications for patients, but continued success will not come for free.

• Long read

 

Brexit and beyond

UK in a Changing Europe -

Brexit is done. The formal negotiations are over — even though the Trade and Cooperation Agreement paves the way to many further negotiations between the UK and the European Union. Understanding what Brexit means in practice is just beginning. The contributions in this report underline the scale and scope of the agenda that confronts the United Kingdom and is meant as a guide to the issues that will loom large of the months and years to come. It includes sections on: 'Health' on pages 28-29, and 'Social care' on pages 40-41.

• Report
• More detail

Brexit and the end of the transition period: what does it mean for the health and care system?

The King's Fund - 

On Christmas Eve 2020 a new EU-UK trade and co-operation deal was agreed. This long read sets out the key changes for the health and care system and what their immediate, as well as potential long-term, implications might be.

• Long read

Memorandum of understanding: Common Travel Area healthcare arrangements between the UK/Northern Ireland and Ireland

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - 
The Common Travel Area (CTA) is a long-standing arrangement between the UK, the Crown Dependencies and Ireland. Under the CTA, British and Irish citizens enjoy additional rights in each country. This includes the right to access public health services on the same basis as local citizens when resident in each country. In recognition of the residency based health systems of the UK and Ireland, this memorandum sets out reciprocal healthcare arrangements that will apply to residents of the UK and Ireland.

• Guidance

How the NHS charges overseas visitors for NHS healthcare

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - 
This summary sets out the way the NHS charges overseas visitors for NHS healthcare. It has been updated with information how charges for NHS healthcare will apply to overseas visitors now the Brexit transition period has ended, reflecting the terms of the UK–EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement on reciprocal healthcare arrangements.

• Guidance

Healthcare for visitors to the UK from the EU

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - 
This guidance provides information on accessing healthcare for visitors to the UK from EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

• Guidance

 

List of healthcare arrangements covering the UK and countries in the EEA and Switzerland

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - 
This table lists the arrangements that can provide for access to healthcare in the EEA and Switzerland for UK residents and for people from those countries coming to the UK. The table also sets out the duration of each arrangement.

• Guidance

Outcome of UK negotiations with the EU and the impact on the NHS and health sector

NHS Confederation - 

A trade and cooperation agreement was concluded between the UK and EU on Christmas Eve 2020. This deal addresses many of the issues that the NHS Confederation has raised as asks from the government on behalf of members regarding Brexit and the NHS over the last four years. There is a lot of good news, but some significant changes compared with the arrangements that applied until the end of the post-Brexit transition period on 31 December 2020. This briefing reviews the agreements made in the UK-EU deal that will impact health and care in the UK and flags changes, both as a result of the deal and regardless of the deal.

• Briefing
• Press release

Understanding the impact of Brexit on health in the UK

Nuffield Trust -
This report maps out the health areas that will be affected by the exit from the European Union and discusses the dilemmas faced by the health sector in the face of legislative changes. It suggests that new barriers to migration, an unknown level of disruption to medicines and devices, a prolonged economic slowdown and barriers to investment in science could impact the health sector almost immediately.

• Report
• Nuffield Trust - press release