Impact of Brexit on drug shortages in NHS Healthcare Assignment Sample

Introduction Of Impact of Brexit on drug shortages in NHS Healthcare Assignment

Research Background

Brexit refers to the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union (EU), which was formally completed on 31 January 2020. The term "Brexit" combines the words "Britain" and "Exit." This historic decision has created numerous challenges for the UK, as the country now operates independently from EU policies and regulations. The UK government is no longer bound by EU guidelines and has the autonomy to develop its own policies according to national requirements.

This study focuses on the critical issue of drug shortages within the UK healthcare sector, particularly affecting the National Health Service (NHS), as a consequence of Brexit. A drug shortage is defined as a situation where required medications are unavailable at the point of care. Various factors contribute to drug shortages, including market constraints, supply limitations, regulatory barriers, and geopolitical considerations. These shortages significantly impact the effectiveness of General Practitioners (GPs) in delivering patient care. Therefore, this research explores how drug shortages affect GP performance and their ability to provide efficient healthcare services.

Literature Review

Theme 1: Understanding Brexit and Its Impact on the NHS

According to Mircheva (2020), Brexit represents a watershed moment in which the UK chose to leave the European Union and operate independently without EU guidance and policies. Currently, the UK has complete autonomy to create its own policies, making its healthcare system entirely dependent on domestic government decisions. Conversely, Dayan et al. (2020) argue that EU membership provided substantial benefits for managing healthcare operations, as the UK benefited from standardized guidelines and various advantages available to union members.

Brexit significantly reduced labour mobility between the UK and European Economic Area (EEA) countries. Statistics reveal that approximately 13.1% of NHS staff were of non-British nationality, with 5.6% coming specifically from EEA countries (Brexit and the end of the transition period, 2021). This means that over 5,000 nurses needed to be recruited from worldwide sources to meet NHS staffing requirements. Furthermore, drug product shortages have more than doubled since early 2022. According to the British Generic Manufacturers Association, approximately 50 drugs were on the shortage list in January 2022, which increased to nearly 100 by mid-December 2023 (U.K. Drug Shortages 'Worse Than Ever' As Brexit Continues To Bite, 2025).

Milne-Ives et al. (2020) highlighted several benefits that the EU provided to member countries, including the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which offered free or reduced-cost healthcare services. This insurance card was exclusive to member states, and following Brexit, UK citizens no longer have access to this benefit (The impact of Brexit on the NHS, 2024). Bagenal and McKee (2024) emphasize that this particularly affects economically disadvantaged populations who previously relied on this insurance for healthcare access. Since leaving the EU, UK residents have lost this valuable healthcare option.

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Theme 2: Reasons Behind Drug Shortages Due to Brexit

Mircheva (2020) identifies multiple impacts of Brexit on the healthcare sector, with drug shortages being the most significant challenge. The NHS was heavily dependent on drug imports from EU countries. Post-Brexit, this relationship deteriorated significantly as trade with EU nations became more complex. The EU functions as a single market providing access to superior drugs and medicines. While trade relations continue to exist between the UK and EU, new barriers and complexities have emerged, affecting drug supply and creating shortages. Fahy et al. (2022) support this view, noting that when essential medications become unavailable, NHS operations are severely impacted, ultimately affecting treatment processes.

Rainey (2020) states that when drugs are unavailable in the market, the working capacity of NHS General Practitioners is compromised. Without access to effective medications, GPs cannot provide appropriate treatment to patients. Moreover, Drinkwater and Robinson (2022) observed that post-Brexit trade relations with EU countries have been affected, potentially limiting the supply of drugs and medical equipment. When effective relationships are not maintained, overall healthcare efficiency suffers considerably.

Other Reasons for Drug Shortages

Zafar, Shahabuddin, and Bibi (2020) identified significant disruptions within the pharmaceutical supply chain affecting drugs and related medical equipment. Supply chain disruption refers to breakdowns in the distribution networks followed by organizations. The NHS's primary drug supply came from EU countries, but fluctuations in trade relations have caused supply chain disruptions (The Effects of Brexit on the NHS in the UK, 2024). According to McKee (2023), the EU pharmaceutical market provides an extensive range of drugs and medical supplies. However, trade relation fluctuations have created drug shortages within the UK. This represents a major challenge for NHS GPs, impacting healthcare setting efficiency. For instance, when GPs need to treat chronic diseases but lack sufficient medications, they cannot effectively manage patient care or improve treatment outcomes.

COVID-19 has compounded the impact of Brexit on drug availability in the UK. The pandemic caused economic shutdowns, severely affecting drug availability. Travel restrictions prevented drug transportation between countries, significantly impacting pharmaceutical operations and healthcare sector functionality. Healthcare professionals faced difficulties due to inadequate drug availability, affecting overall sector performance.

Brexit and COVID-19 together caused supply chain disruptions, preventing pharmacies from maintaining adequate drug stocks. When effective supply chains are compromised, drug shortages intensify, and healthcare professionals like GPs cannot provide optimal services. For example, during the pandemic, drug availability was already limited in European countries, and Brexit further reduced trade relations, severely impacting the UK's pharmaceutical supply.

Theme 3: Impact of Drug Shortages on GP Performance in the NHS

Direct Impact of Brexit

Davis (2020) argues that drug shortages in healthcare settings significantly affect operational effectiveness. When essential treatments and medications are unavailable, NHS GPs cannot provide proper patient care. Unavailable drugs impact overall healthcare management and compromise GP performance. Davis (2021) further contends that if medications are not available when needed, the NHS treatment process suffers. Ensuring timely drug availability is essential for improving healthcare delivery and creating positive outcomes.

For example, if a patient requires Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) but NHS GPs lack the necessary drugs, they cannot provide appropriate treatment. This affects GP working capacity, as they possess the expertise to provide treatment but lack the resources to do so. This situation can negatively impact patient health and overall healthcare outcomes. When practitioners cannot provide treatment due to drug unavailability, it affects their reputation, the healthcare setting's reputation, and ultimately patient health.

Dayan et al. (2023) emphasize that inadequate drug availability lowers the market position of healthcare settings and reduces GP functional efficiency. When GPs cannot provide timely treatment, patients lose confidence, affecting overall healthcare operations. Therefore, healthcare settings must ensure GPs can provide better treatment to improve efficiency. Conversely, KAMARAJ and YAMINI (2022) critically evaluated that drug shortages negatively affect healthcare setting management, reducing efficiency and eroding patient trust in receiving quality treatment.

Recent studies highlight significant challenges caused by Brexit, resulting in UK drug shortages. These shortages have affected various medications, including diabetes treatments, antibiotics, ADHD medications, and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Between 2022 and 2024, medicine shortages doubled from 52 to 101 drugs (Tackling drug shortages must be an urgent priority for the NHS, 2025). In 2023, healthcare providers received an average of 137 monthly notifications regarding drug shortages affecting patient care. Major contributing factors included post-Brexit border delays, increased customs checks, currency depreciation, and other complications. Furthermore, research revealed that 902 out of 1,578 pharmacists acknowledged that medicine shortages put patients at risk (Special report: the UK's medicines shortage crisis, 2025). This represents a major consequence of drug shortages, as patients cannot be properly treated without essential medications, severely affecting their health.

Effect of the Pandemic

The pandemic created additional negative impacts on healthcare sector operations. Drug unavailability affected overall healthcare functionality and healthcare professional services. For example, obtaining needed drugs became time-consuming during the pandemic, affecting the quality of practitioner-provided services. The primary reason was pandemic-related lockdowns, which prevented timely drug availability and reduced efficiency.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

Research Aim

To investigate the impact of Brexit on drug shortages in NHS healthcare services, focusing on the challenges General Practitioners (GPs) face in managing patient care.

Research Objectives

1. To develop an understanding of Brexit and its impact on the NHS and the healthcare industry.
2. To assess the reasons behind drug shortages due to Brexit and how they affect patient care management by General Practitioners within the NHS.
3. To analyse the impact of Brexit on managing drug supply for improving patient care in the NHS by GPs.
4. To recommend strategies for overcoming challenges faced by General Practitioners due to drug shortages.

Research Question

What impact does Brexit create on drug shortages, and how does it affect the working of General Practitioners within the NHS?

Research Design and Methods

Plan of Investigation

The plan of investigation outlines key steps and documentation prepared initially to achieve project objectives effectively. For analyzing Brexit's impact on NHS drug shortages and its effects on GPs, a qualitative investigation plan is followed. The NHS selected the qualitative approach for this study as it helps assess facts and reasons behind drug shortages, ultimately improving working conditions.

Search Strategy

The search strategy represents a systematic approach or predetermined plan that helps manage and conduct research effectively. For assessing Brexit's impact on NHS drug shortages and GP efficiency, Boolean operators are employed. Boolean operators used in the current study include 'AND', 'OR', and 'NOT.' These operators facilitate searching key terms for data collection. Additionally, keyword searching is employed as another search strategy. This approach uses specific keywords to obtain more accurate and reliable information. Key search terms include: "Brexit and impact on drug shortage," "drug shortage and impact on health efficiency," "Brexit and NHS healthcare service," and other relevant search strategies.

Study Selection

The qualitative study approach is selected to accomplish study objectives. Within the qualitative framework, secondary research methods are employed. For assessing Brexit's impact on NHS drug shortages and GP effects, secondary research is chosen as it facilitates detailed analysis of research topics and assists in achieving objectives effectively. When different articles, published data, books, journals, and other secondary information sources are utilized, work management improves, overall efficiency increases, and scholars can better achieve study objectives.

Database

For effective data collection, the scholar examines previous studies as the database. Existing studies from Google Scholar, Medline, PubMed, and other databases are selected. When proper existing studies are analyzed, overall efficiency improves, and objectives are accomplished effectively. Therefore, various existing data sources are used, including articles from Google Scholar, other Google articles, and published research on the topic. Furthermore, critical appraisal tools are employed to effectively evaluate data. Bias assessment tools are also utilized to select data without biases. To manage article quality, peer-reviewed articles are prioritized, publication dates are evaluated, and keyword placement is examined.

Limitations

Limitations represent aspects that may restrict successful study completion. In assessing Brexit's impact on NHS drug shortages and GP performance, the most common limitation was limited time. This major challenge could have prevented comprehensive study completion. However, scholars possessed good prioritization skills, enabling effective work management through better task division. Additionally, data availability limitations existed, but through effective keyword searching, scholars collected quality data and accomplished the study successfully.

Ethical Considerations

Considering ethical aspects in research is essential for guiding scholars toward successful study completion. In assessing Brexit's effects on NHS drug shortages, consideration is given to avoiding sensitive data access and use. No personal information or facts affecting the public domain are utilized. Moreover, only recent data and information are used, with no data from before 2020 included. Proper credit is given to information sources. This means effective references are listed, and proper citations are provided to credit secondary information sources like articles, journals, and other secondary materials.

Implications and Contributions of the Current Study

Analysis reveals that this study assists in better work management, ultimately improving the UK healthcare industry's overall functioning. The study identifies main reasons for drug shortages and their impact on overall healthcare operations (Milne-Ives et al., 2020). The major reason identified for drug shortages was supply chain disruption, as the EU was the primary drug source and the UK is no longer part of it. Consequently, UK healthcare industry operations and General Practitioner performance were affected. Therefore, the UK government must implement necessary changes to develop the healthcare industry effectively.

This study outlines reasons for reduced drug supply and impacts on General Practitioners' work. Therefore, findings assist the NHS and other regulatory bodies in identifying solutions to overcome these problems. The study provides detailed analysis of reasons leading to increased drug shortages within the UK. With current study assistance, better solutions can be planned and implemented for healthcare industry improvement. This is essential because effective analysis of the current study improves the foundation for healthcare sector upgrades. The present study also assists as a foundation for future research. Since the study evaluated that the EU was the major supplier and supply chain disruption occurred with the EU, this provides a basis for future research. Issues outlined in the current study establish foundations for developing future studies as well. For example, the research identified that the major drug shortage issue was EU dependency as the major supplier. This provides a basis for another study on how the UK can manage this shortage and overcome drug shortage issues.

Moreover, current study findings are also useful for other healthcare industries. When countries face drug shortage issues, they can reference strategies that UK healthcare industry GPs are planning to implement. Thus, when other countries experience drug and medical equipment shortages, they can refer to alternative approaches the UK has used to manage shortages (Mircheva, 2020). Additionally, the current study is relevant to other scholars conducting research on similar topics. When research is conducted on similar topics, these findings can serve as a foundation for more comprehensive and effective studies to solve research problems. Furthermore, the current study challenges the theory of trade relations between the UK and EU. Generally, it is stated that countries maintain good trade relations with one another. However, in this case, even though the UK left the EU, this should not have broken trade relations as they are separate countries and trade can exist between them. Yet, the UK's trade relations with other EU member countries were negatively affected. Thus, this study challenges the assumption that good trade relations must exist among countries. The UK left the EU, but this impacted the UK's relationship with other EU member countries, which is problematic. These relations should not have been affected by Brexit, and other countries should have supported the UK during drug shortages.

Furthermore, the current study has practical value for other scholars and educators who can use it as a foundation for more detailed studies. When researchers analyze the present study effectively, they tend to identify better research areas as well (Obiedalla, Patel and Donyai, 2023). Through critical analysis, scholars can improve overall work and undertake better research in the same direction, assisting in improving the UK healthcare sector more effectively.

Work Plan

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that Brexit has created numerous effects on the entire UK. The EU is a strong authority, and after Brexit, the UK is no longer part of it, impacting the country's functioning in both direct and indirect ways. Moreover, the study emphasizes that NHS GPs must effectively implement measures to eliminate drug shortages, thereby improving overall healthcare operations. Furthermore, findings highlight that exiting the EU created numerous troubles for the UK and impacted the country's working capacity.

However, drug shortage represents a major issue faced by the UK in managing GP-provided healthcare services. When Brexit occurred, the EU was the major drug supplier for all EU members. Now, the UK is no longer part of the EU, resulting in impacted trade relations between both parties. Consequently, drug shortages emerged within the UK, and GP operational efficiency was compromised, making them unable to effectively manage patients and provide treatments.

Additionally, the study highlighted that GP working capacity is impacted. Drug shortages make General Practitioners incapable of working effectively and providing quality services to patients. Even with complete treatment knowledge, resource lack prevents them from providing better patient treatment. Ultimately, the UK healthcare sector's brand image is declining, as drug shortages prevent efficient treatment and service provision to patients. Therefore, healthcare sector development and GP services need significant improvement.

REFERENCES

Books and Journals

• Bagenal, J. and McKee, M., 2024. Brexit and health: 4 years on. The Lancet, 403(10428), pp.705-707.
• Bennett, S.R., 2023. Changes in Healthcare During the Past 30 Years: Can the National Health Service in the United Kingdom Survive? Cureus, 15(4).
• Coughlan, J. and Shah, S., 2020. The impact of Brexit on oral health. British Dental Journal, 229(9), pp.622-626.
• Davis, C.M., 2020. Priorities, shortages, and rationing in the UK and Russia national health services during 2000–2019: initial conditions for responses to Covid-19. Post-Communist Economies, 32(8), pp.969-1010.
• Davis, C.M., 2021. Readiness and resilience of the health systems of the UK and Russia during Covid-19 epidemics in 2020-2021: impacts of priorities, shortages and rationing. Post-Communist Economies, 33(1), pp.1-63.
• Dayan, M., Fahy, N., Hervey, T., McCarey, M., Jarman, H. and Greer, S., 2020. Understanding the impact of Brexit on health in the UK. Nuffield Trust, pp.2020-2012.
• Dayan, M., Hervey, T., Fahy, N., Vlachakis, E., McCarey, M., Flear, M., Greer, S. and Jarman, H., 2023. Parallel, divergent or drifting? Regulating healthcare products in a post-Brexit UK. Journal of European Public Policy, 30(11), pp.2540-2572.
• Drinkwater, S. and Robinson, C., 2022. Brexit and the NHS: voting behaviour and views on the impact of leaving the EU. British Politics, p.1.
• Dunn, P., Ewbank, L. and Alderwick, H., 2023. Nine major challenges facing health and care in England. The Health Foundation.
• Fahy, N., Hervey, T., Dayan, M., Flear, M., Galsworthy, M.J., Greer, S., Jarman, H., McCarey, M., McKee, M. and Wood, M., 2022. Impact on the NHS and health of the UK's trade and cooperation relationship with the EU, and beyond. Health Economics, Policy and Law, 17(4), pp.471-496.
• KAMARAJ, R. and YAMINI, P., 2022. CURRENT PHARMACEUTICAL REGULATIONS OF UNITED KINGDOM: POST BREXIT. Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results, pp.3406-3415.
• McKee, M., 2023. Brexit three years on: Health and the NHS are still suffering. BMJ, 380.
• Milne-Ives, M., Lam, C., van Velthoven, M. and Meinert, E., 2020. The impact of Brexit on the pharmaceutical supply chain of the United Kingdom: Scoping review protocol. JMIR Research Protocols, 9(9), p.e17684.
• Mircheva, R.D., 2020. A crisis within the crisis: the impact of COVID-19 and Brexit on supply chains in the pharmaceutical industry. Izvestiya. Journal of Varna University of Economics, 64(3), pp.352-368.
• Obiedalla, M., Patel, N. and Donyai, P., 2023. Exploring drug shortages in the United Kingdom. Pharmacy, 11(5), p.166.
• Rainey, R., 2020. Looking toward Brexit's Aftermath: Pharmaceutical Provisions Affecting the NHS in a Future US-UK Bilateral Trade Agreement. Minn. J. Int'l L., 30, p.205.
• Van Schalkwyk, M.C., Jarman, H., Hervey, T., Wouters, O.J., Barlow, P. and McKee, M., 2020. Risks to health and the NHS in the post-Brexit era. BMJ, 369.
• YAMINI, P., 2022. CURRENT PHARMACEUTICAL REGULATIONS OF UNITED KINGDOM: POST BREXIT. Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results, 13.
• Zafar, S.S., Shahabuddin, S. and Bibi, M., 2020. NHS-BREXIT: A HEALTH SERVICE DILEMMA. Journal of European Studies (JES), 36(1), pp.113-128.

Online Sources

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