The European Union was established in its current form in 1993 and is an economic and political association of 28 countries which allows for the free movement of goods, people, and services between member states. The UK’s decision to leave the European Union – colloquially referred to as ‘Brexit’ – will have far-ranging consequences and some have questioned what impact it will have on the National Health Service (NHS).
Those who argued for UK leaving the EU claimed that even though it would result in the loss of rebates, grants and subsidies of around £7bn, there would be a saving of £15bn a year on membership. They also argued that reduced immigration would decrease the strain on the NHS. Under the European Union, Britain was allowed to recoup costs for treating EU nationals under the NHS and likewise the UK government paid out for UK citizens treated while in a European Union country, but data shows that the UK is owed more than it has paid out.
The foreseen impacts
It is likely there will be an impact on UK citizens living abroad, however this will depend on the specific country involved. As an example, British citizens living in Spain have their hospital treatment in that country covered by the NHS. Unless the UK negotiates a new deal with Spain, British residents there may have to start paying for their healthcare.
There would also be an impact on NHS staffing, because, as the fifth largest employer in the world, the UK’s national Health System relies heavily on skilled overseas workers. Being part of the European Union has allowed the NHS to easily recruit healthcare professionals from other EU countries without them being required to obtain a specific visa. The NHS is already facing a nursing shortage, partly due to both an ageing population and an ageing workforce. In 2015, that shortfall was indicated to be 47,000 full-time equivalent positions.
In 2015, around 4.5 percent of NHS nurses were from EU countries. Nurses who have been in the UK for more than five years will be eligible to remain in the country, but the future of newer migrant healthcare workers is uncertain. There has already been an impact with the number of EU nationals registering as nurses in the UK, falling by 96 percent since the referendum. In 2016, around 10 percent of NHS doctors were from the EU. In total 60,000 of the 1.2 million NHS workers are from EU countries.
In addition to staffing, other areas that may be affected include the regulation and supply of medication and medical devices, and medical research. The UK Government has until March 2019 to complete negotiations and exit the EU.
Healthstaff Recruitment currently has a number of nursing positions available for those wishing to work in the UK.