11.12.17
Health Alliance welcomes Brexit reciprocal care deal
The NHS Confederation’s Brexit Health Alliance has applauded news of the first major agreement on the UK’s exit from the EU.
Prime minister Theresa May announced a last-minute deal between the UK and the EU on Friday, including details on continuing the current state of healthcare.
The agreement contains a clause which allows British travellers in the EU before March 2019 to continue to use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and be eligible for reimbursement.
In response to the announcement, Niall Dickson, co-chair of the Brexit Health Alliance and chief executive of the NHS Confederation, commented: “This is good news – particularly the agreement on maintaining reciprocal healthcare for those who crossed the border before March 2019. But there are many other health issues which need urgent attention.
“We now need to see the same co-operation so that patients are able to benefit from international research collaborations and the continuation of robust coordination on public health. It’s also vital that patients can continue to access medicines and other vital health technologies.
“We look forward to working with the UK government to make sure these are priorities in the negotiations – the interests of patients in the UK and the EU must come first.”
The deal – which was necessary to move forward with border issues between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland – represents the first major phase of the Brexit talks.
Dickson recently wrote a piece for NHE on the sustainability of STPs in the UK.
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