Join in our local conversations on Brexit, and its implications for the health and social care sector in your community

The ALLIANCE will be hosting an event in Campbeltown Town Hall on Thursday 15th February giving local people the chance to discuss the potential impact of Brexit on the health and social care sector in their community.

It is crucial that a voice is given to local communities in what has become the biggest political issue of our time.

In a recent survey carried out by the ALLIANCE, members raised several concerns regarding the impact of Brexit on health and social care. Amongst these was the concern that social care recruitment problems could be exacerbated after Brexit.

A recent care inspectorate report (this link will take you away from our website) found that more than a third of social care services across Scotland have reported unfilled staff vacancies in the past year, and almost half of those faced difficulty recruiting the right staff. When you take into account that the health and social care sector in Scotland currently employs 12,000 EU nationals (3% of the total workforce), the potential impact of Brexit on the workforce is clear.

Members are also concerned by suggestions that access to medicines could be hindered by Brexit. The Life Science Industry Coalition (this link will take you away from our website) has advised that Brexit could create delays or shortages in the supply of both new and existing medicines if trade barriers are not resolved.

To address these concerns, the ALLIANCE has recently partnered with the Repeal Bill Alliance to promote an amendment to the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill. If passed, this would necessitate an independent evaluation of the impact of Brexit on the health and social care sector.

However, more needs to be done to shine a light on the questions that local people have. This issue cannot be left in the hands of policymakers alone, and events such as the Local Conversation in Campbeltown will play a crucial role in what will hopefully be a wider public consultation.

We hope to see you there next week and hear what you have to say yourself!

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