This House of Lords Library briefing has been prepared in advance of a debate that is scheduled to take place in the House on 24 November 2016 on the implications of Brexit on the NHS and social care workforce.
Leaving the European Union: NHS and Social Care Workforce (412 KB , PDF)
This briefing provides background information about this issue, including statistics on the numbers of citizens from other EU member states currently working in the NHS and social care. It examines a range of commentary and reaction to the result of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union and the potential implications for staffing in the NHS and briefly examines the debate and recent developments on the issue of ‘safe’ staffing levels. It also notes the recent Government announcement on expanding the number of training places in UK medical schools to make the NHS more ‘self-sufficient’ in medical staff.
EU nationals currently comprise around 5 percent of both the staff in NHS trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups and of the social care workforce. To date there has been no change to the status of these staff, or their right to remain in the UK. However, a number of health organisations have called for explicit assurances that existing healthcare staff from the European Union will be able to stay in the country in the future, and that the UK health and social care sectors will continue to be able to recruit staff from the EU. The Prime Minister, Theresa May, has stated her desire to “guarantee the position” of both EU migrants in the UK and UK migrants in other EU countries, but said that no issue should be taken off the table prior to the commencement of negotiations on the future relationship between the UK and EU.
Leaving the European Union: NHS and Social Care Workforce (412 KB , PDF)
The bill aims to create a 'smoke-free generation' by banning tobacco sales to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009, alongside other measures to tackle smoking and tobacco harms. It would also further regulate vaping, curbing its appeal to children, while enabling adult smokers to use vapes as a quitting tool. The bill is similar to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill which fell at dissolution 2024.
In October 2024, a House of Lords committee published a post-legislative review of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The committee argued that the legislation was no longer world-leading. It suggested developments worldwide had led to the UK falling behind internationally and that recent immigration legislation had limited the act’s support infrastructure for victims. It called on government policy to recognise the difference between migrants coming to the UK willingly and victims of trafficking.
In October 2024, a report from the House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee concluded that poor-quality diets were contributing to an obesity crisis in England. It said that successive governments had failed to tackle the issue, and more regulation was now needed. This briefing summarises the committee’s recommendations, the government’s response in January 2025, and reaction to both reports.
