It has been over 2 months since the UK voted to leave the EU and Brexit is slowly leaving its mark, especially on the NHS. In recent months we have seen the value of the sterling drop which has had a major effect on the NHS’ spending. There have been rumours circulating for a while about NHS planned cuts and this week it was officially announced that the NHS has planned to make cuts across England.

The BBC have stated, “they have seen draft sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) which propose ward closures, cuts in bed numbers and changes to A&E and GP care in 44 areas.” The plans are set out to save the NHS £22bn over the next five years.

According to investigations by the campaign group 38 Degrees, the plans suggest not only closures but changes to maternity care, cutting staffing costs and running costs of hospitals. This could potentially mean major hospitals such as Ealing and Charing Cross could be downgraded and lose their A&E units along with other acute services. Reducing the number of hospitals in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland from three to two and plans to put GP surgeries under “review” due to shortage of funding.

A number of planned proposals found in the draft sustainability and transformation plans could potentially come in effect from October 2016.