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Brexit: Patient safety paramount across Ireland

05 Mar 2019

The Presidents of the four physician colleges across the UK and Ireland have jointly written to the Irish Times to call on the UK and Irish government to ensure that patient safety remains paramount following the UK’s exit from the EU, and that the free movement of staff patients and medicines across the Irish/UK border is maintained.

The Presidents of the four physician colleges across the UK and Ireland have jointly written to the Irish Times to call on the UK and Irish government to ensure that patient safety remains paramount following the UK’s exit from the EU, and that the free movement of staff patients and medicines across the Irish/UK border is maintained.

The call comes after a meeting in Belfast last week between senior representatives of the four colleges at which the impact of Brexit on healthcare was discussed. Representatives at that meeting are pictured above.

The full letter to the Irish Times, as published in today’s edition (5th March 2019) is as follows:

Sir – The presidents of the Royal Medical Colleges of Physicians in Ireland, England and Scotland met in Belfast to discuss closer collaboration as Brexit nears.

Our discussions highlighted the huge potential impact that Brexit could have on patient care in Northern Ireland and Ireland where service design and delivery transcend the Border.

It is essential that safe, high-quality patient care remains the top priority and that nothing hinders the flow of staff, patients and the medicines they require in any post-Brexit arrangements.

We therefore call on all those engaged with the Brexit process in Ireland and Northern Ireland to work to ensure that the interests of patients are foremost in their thoughts over the coming days and weeks. – Yours, etc,

Prof MARY HORGAN,
President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland;

Prof DEREK BELL OBE,
President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh;

Prof JACKIE TAYLOR,
President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow;

Prof ANDREW GODDARD,
President, Royal College of Physicians of London.

Category: Engagement


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