Chinwag - Autumn 2019

Our workforce team is managing the situation with any employees impacted and there is currently no effect on recruitment. We have confidence in our supply chain’s ability to source medicines, and national plans are in place for the provision of essential treatment components such as radioisotopes. We will not be stockpiling medicines and neither should any staff. The latest information for patients around continuity of medicines supply if there is a no-deal EU exit is regularly updated at www.nhs.uk/conditions/medicines-information/getting-your-medicines-if-theres-no- deal-eu-exit/ . Latest FAQs for clinicians are updated on the NHS England website at www.england.nhs.uk/eu-exit/ medicines/medicines-faq/ . These updates explain the government’s approach to ensure that medicines continue to be available if there is no-deal. Throughout this process we have followed all the government advice provided, and as things develop week by week will continue to review the position. We have a group at the Trust monitoring the situation primed to put plans into place to react quickly if necessary. We will continue to keep staff informed and all the latest information will be placed on the Brexit pages on HIVE. https://hive.xchristie.nhs.uk/go/Brexit . Further queries can be directed to Louise Westcottt, company secretary at louise.westcott@christie.nhs.uk or ext 3043 .

ADVICE FOR STAFF Q.1 What is being done to make sure medicines and medical products continue to be available? The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has been working closely with the NHS, trade associations, wholesalers, pharmaceutical companies, suppliers of medical devices and many others, to ensure medicines and medical products continue to be available if there is a ‘no-deal’ EU Exit. Contingency measures include: 1. Improving trader readiness for new border arrangements. 2. Building up buffer stocks of prescription-only and pharmacy medicines. These stocks will continue to be replenished as used. 3. Procuring extra warehouse space for stockpiled medicines. 4. Securing additional ferry capacity for all medicines, including an express freight service to deliver small consignments on a 24-hour basis. 5. Changing or clarifying regulatory requirements. To ensure that medicines, devices and clinical trials licensed or tested in the EU can continue to be recognised in the UK in the event of a ‘no-deal’ EU Exit. 6. Strengthening the processes and resources used to deal with medicines shortages. This approach is essential to help ensure the continuity of medicines and medical supplies in the event of the UK exiting the EU without a deal. Local stockpiling and prescribing over and above usual quantities ahead of 31 October is unnecessary and could cause shortages in other areas. It is also important that patients keep taking their medicines and order their repeat prescriptions as normal.

Q.2 What should clinicians be doing? Prescribe and dispense as normal: • Doctors and pharmacists are encouraged to reassure patients that they do not need to order extra medication and in fact this could contribute to or cause supply problems. • Prescriptions covering longer durations than normally prescribed should be avoided. • Prescription durations will be monitored and investigated where necessary. Provide patients with information: • Clinical staff are encouraged to prioritise keeping patients and health professionals informed about plans for continuity of supply. Do not stockpile medicines and medical products: • It is not helpful or appropriate for anyone to stockpile medicines – organisations who stockpile risk pressure on the availability of medicines. Hospital stock levels will be monitored and incidences involving over-ordering of medicines will be investigated. • Any shortages should be reported through

usual routes and to support this, a national Medicines Shortage Response Group (MSRG) has been

established to provide clear governance, communication and decision-making to improve the management of medicine shortages.