‘No deal’ Brexit-planning ‘intensifying’ – HPRA

The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) “significantly” intensified its preparations for the possibility of a ‘no deal’ Brexit in recent months, according to management committee meeting minutes.

At the meeting on 23 August, it was noted that “Brexit-planning for a ‘no deal’ Brexit is significantly intensifying … Contributions to the central government planning continue in conjunction with the DoH [Department of Health] and the HSE, this continues to intensify. Our planning and focus is integrated into this.”

The committee agreed to update its Brexit ‘contingency plan’ at a meeting on 6 September. This meeting heard there was a “core team of staff working on Brexit

[that]

continue to concentrate on preparations”.

The Brexit deadline at the time of these meetings was 31 October, but this has since been replaced by 31 January as the final date.

The Department previously told the Medical Independent (MI) about its preparations for the possible impact of Brexit, which remains on the internal risk registers of a number of health bodies.

“The Department in conjunction with the HSE, the HPRA, and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), has been engaged in extensive Brexit planning and action to ensure that the health sector is prepared, to the greatest extent possible, for any adverse impacts as a result of Brexit,” a Department spokesperson told MI earlier this year.

“As part of the whole-of-Government response to Brexit, the Department of Health has established dedicated structures to manage the approach to preparing for the UK’s exit from the EU. A high-level group chaired by the Secretary General and comprising the heads of the HSE, HPRA, FSAI, and senior officials was established to oversee the health sector’s overall approach to contingency planning and to monitor progress.”