Dear Sheila,

A colleague has asked me if I have got a plan for if there is a no deal Brexit. I don’t know what she is talking about. Can you help please?

Answered by Sheila Scott

Dear Emily,

You should all have received a letter from CQC last Wednesday, 14 August about Brexit and the steps that you need to be considering to take for your service in case there is a “No Deal” exit from the European Union on 31 October 2019.

The guidance sets out the actions you should take before and after Brexit, to plan for and help manage any potential service disruption to adult social care.

The new guidance includes information on the following:

• How to stay up to date
• Supply of medicines, medical devices and clinical consumables
• Supply of non-clinical consumables, goods and services
• Business continuity plans
• Workforce
• Recognition of professional qualifications
• Data sharing, processing and access
• Help and who to contact

The guidance can be found here.

I cannot stress to you enough how important I believe it is that all adult social care provides should now put in place a plan and if you already have one that you should review it.

There are two things that I believe are very important:

• Speak with your Pharmacist about the continuity of supply of drugs for your service users.

• Think carefully if you are a care home provider about increasing the amount of dry goods, canned goods and frozen food that you will have in place on 31 October. I am not advocating that you should start stock piling goods but I am advocating that you should give consideration to a No Deal Brexit and have a plan in place.

The Care Provider Alliance has also issued useful guidance.

Hope this helps.

Best Wishes.

Sheila