A great deal of preparation, planning and testing has already been carried out to make sure that health and care services continue to run smoothly after 31 December 2020, when our transition period from the EU ends.

As part of that, all NHS organisations, Kent County Council and Medway Council are working together with NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care, other Government departments, as well as our partners and suppliers to make sure we can continue to provide high quality care.

We’re good at planning for different scenarios - 2020 has given us a lot of experience in managing new ways of working, and thinking outside the box, together -  and all organisations have arrangements in place to deal with events that could disrupt services.

Every organisation, including ours, has been through an assessment to look at how prepared they are and to identify any issues which could potentially cause disruption. The Government has been working hard to make sure patients can continue to receive the medication they need after the UK leaves the EU.

Analysis by the Kent Resilience Forum suggests that in Kent we may have the added challenge of potential delays on our roads, as it may take longer for freight and tourist traffic leaving the UK to get through cross-channel border controls after 31 December 2020. As part of our comprehensive preparations for our transition from the EU; the local NHS, alongside many organisations across Kent, has prepared for the impact on staff and patients of any traffic disruption.

You can find out more about how Kent and Medway has prepared for potential traffic pressures through the links below.

What you can do to prepare for the EU Exit in Kent and Medway:

• You will continue to receive the medication and medical supplies that you need for your care and do not need to make any extra arrangements. Speak to the professional caring for you if you have any concerns.
• If you need to travel to an appointment and the roads are busy, keep up to date with the local situation by checking the Traffic England website, traffic bulletins on local radio and social media.

Make sure that you are using the service that is right for your needs. Visit 111.nhs.uk to check out symptoms and www.nhs.uk for advice and details of services. If you are concerned you need urgent medical help, phone NHS111. Only in an emergency, dial 999.

Helpful links

• 111.nhs.uk: Check out symptoms and identify where you can get the care you need
• NHS: Health advice for patients and members of the public
• Brexit transition: The official Government guidance on leaving the EU, which can be tailored to your situation (personal or business)
• NHS England: How the NHS has prepared
• Highways England:​​​​​​​ Traffic updates

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