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<p>This Government has been clear that we do not want or expect a ‘no deal’ scenario.
However, it is the duty of a responsible Government to continue to prepare for a range
of potential outcomes, including the event of ‘no deal’. The Department has undertaken
extensive work to prepare for a ‘no deal’ scenario, including contingency planning,
and we continue to take the necessary steps to ensure the country continues to operate
smoothly from the day we leave.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working with its partners
across Government, arm’s length bodies and industry, to ensure that all relevant parties
are prepared for exiting the European Union. The quality and safety of patient care
is paramount in our preparedness plans.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is working to
mitigate the impact of any potential delays at borders if there is ‘no deal’. Our
planning aims to ensure that from the day the United Kingdom leaves the EU, we will
have the necessary resources in place to maintain uninterrupted supplies of medicines
and medical products.</p><p> </p><p>Over the course of August, September and October
2018, the Government published a series of technical notices, eight of which are specific
to the health and care sector. Since then, we have published further guidance on preparing
for a ‘no deal’ scenario.</p><p> </p><p>In preparation for the possibility of a ‘no
deal’ exit, the Department, with the support of NHS England and Improvement and Public
Health England, has set up a national Operational Response Centre (ORC), which is
structured to be able to respond to any impacts on health and social care. This will
lead on responding to disruptions to delivery and co-ordinate reporting across the
health and care system; the Department has a wide pool of trained staff available
to support this if needed. The ORC will work with the devolved administrations to
respond to United Kingdom-wide incidents where appropriate.</p>
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