What impact will Brexit have on the NHS?

Although I do not currently work within the NHS, it is a topic that I am passionate about. It is a health service that many of my friends and family lean on; it saves lives, houses incredibly talented and dedicated staff (who could all earn much more money if they were to leave), serves terrible, terrible food – but it does offer a 24/7 service for pretty much anyone that comes knocking on its door. It isn’t perfect but it is not thatbad either.

Yet some have opted to leave the EU. Many felt that this would save the NHS. With its open doors policy, tax payers felt that they did not get the access to care they deserved. With a few closed doors and hence fewer migrants ‘leaching’ off the NHS, Bob’s your uncle; it is saved.

Sadly however, what has been forgotten is that the working conditions of the NHS are pretty awful. Plus with recent antics surrounding our good friend Jeremy Hunt, even some of the more dedicated workers, who have given their lives to the NHS, have now opted out.

So who is propping up the NHS work force in our time of need? Only 130 000 EU workers (all of whom are also paying tax). And with more and more medical staff seeking overseas employment, the NHS is going to find itself in difficult territory.
78% of EU migrants in the UK are also paying tax in to our healthcare system. With the NHS in over 2 billion pounds of debt – this is not a particularly helpful loss of economic support (even if some of this money was used to afford their medical care within the system).

There is no doubt that brexit will have a significant impact on almost all areas of public service provision in the UK, but the NHS is particularly vulnerable right now. Let us hope a re-vote is actioned (albeit unlikely) and that we can continue to support one another within Europe.

David Cameron

David Cameron

 

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