Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether UK citizens living in the European Union and utilising S1 form certificates to access medication for existing chronic conditions will be able to do so in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
On 19 March 2019, I laid a written ministerial statement (HCWS1429) on the Department’s plans for the continuity of reciprocal healthcare arrangements in the event we exit the European Union without a deal. This statement includes specific guidance for residents and posted workers who hold S1 entitlement forms.
The United Kingdom has proposed to EU Member States and European Free Trade Association States that we should maintain the existing healthcare arrangements, in both a ‘deal’ or ‘no deal’ scenario up until 31 December 2020. This will avoid disruption of healthcare provision which includes access to medication for UK nationals currently living, working, or travelling in the EU. We are also making a guarantee to member states, for the avoidance of any doubt on this issue, that we will reimburse member states for treatments that were ongoing on exit day, for up to one year where this is necessary.
Although we have been very clear that we would like to extend all existing healthcare rules, we cannot unilaterally guarantee all EU Member States will recognise EU healthcare entitlement forms including the S1 after exit day, if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.