Impact of leaving the European Union on health and social care in Scotland

About the Inquiry

Background

At its meeting on 28 November 2017 the Committee agreed to hold an inquiry into the impact of leaving the EU on health and social care in Scotland.

The Committee will consider what the NHS and social care in Scotland could look like post-Brexit with a focus on how potential risks could be mitigated and potential opportunities could be realised.

Looking to the previous work of the Committee and the letter from the Minister for UK negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe, to the Finance and Constitution Committee, the following areas have been highlighted as having a potential impact on health and social care in Scotland:

o Data Protection
o Blood Safety
o Food Compositional standards/labelling
o Reciprocal Healthcare
o Funding
o Good Laboratory Standards
o Mutual recognition of Professional Qualifications
o New Medicines and Clinical Trials
o Organs
o Procurement
o Public health
o Research and Life Sciences
o Tissue
o Tobacco
o Workforce

All of these areas could fall within the ambit of the Common Frameworks which are currently being discussed between the UK and the devolved nations. The Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) agreed a communique setting out a series of common principles that underpin the work of establishing common frameworks.