Hundreds of NHS professionals want People's Vote on Brexit

They are part of a People’s Vote campaign supported by thousands of doctors, dentists, nurses, researchers and scientists across the UK.

The letter states: “The British people have been misled on what Brexit will mean for the NHS.

“Far from £350 million more a week we are already seeing a staffing crisis and funding cuts – and that’s before Brexit has even happened.

“New facts have come to light which show Brexit is already damaging the NHS.

“As nurses, midwives, doctors, professionals, scientists and researchers who work in our National Health Service we demand a People’s Vote on the final Brexit deal.”

The campaigners argue Brexit’s impact on the NHS staffing puts patient safety at risk.

A spokesperson said: “With drastic frontline staff shortages, we need everyone we can get.

“Applications from health professionals from EU countries are already down, and those already here are leaving.

“The extra barriers created by Brexit will mean fewer new recruits, leaving current staff dangerously overstretched and putting patients at risk.

“Brexit will hold us back in developing medicines and cutting-edge treatments.

“Leaving, or downgrading our role in Euratom, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Horizon Europe and other alliances reduces our access to obtain and develop medicines and cutting-edge treatments quickly and reliably”.

The open letter is published as new polling is claimed to show that NHS staff back a People’s Vote by a margin of 2-1, while an “overwhelming” majority of NHS staff are said to back remaining in the EU.

According to the YouGov poll of 694 public sector health workers, 61 per cent of health workers would now vote to remain a member of the EU (up by 19 per cent since 2016), compared to 39 per cent who would vote to leave.