HOSPITALS in Oxfordshire have been asked to lay out plans to keep services running should staffing levels become even more depleted following Brexit.

Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) has asked hospital bosses to confirm their plans in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit which many fear will force EU nationals to leave the country.

Around five per cent of the NHS workforce is estimated to be from the EU.

Meanwhile the county’s hospitals are already significantly understaffed with Oxford University Hospitals chief executive Bruno Holthof admitting last month that there currently ‘wasn’t enough to staff to care for patients’ - a predicament he largely blamed on scores of EU staff having already left.

OCCG confirmed it had received instructions from health secretary Matt Hancock to provide an update on preparations in the county for a ‘no deal’ scenario.

Oxford Health NHS Trust said its business continuity plans detailed how services would work should there be a reduction in staffing levels for any reason, and that it remained committed to ensuring employment opportunities for everyone regardless of nationality.

The trust also said will be holding seminars in the new year to advise EU staff members ahead of Brexit.

A CCG spokesman said: “At a national level we know that ensuring the NHS is prepared for every potential outcome of Brexit is a priority.

“The Government is leading on contingency planning for different scenarios and nationally the NHS is working with them on this and ensuring NHS voices are heard.”

The spokesman added: “As part of this process assurance is sought from our main provider organisations on their emergency preparedness and both Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that their business continuity plans detail how services would work should there be a reduction in staffing levels."

OCCG said the letter from Matt Hancock also explicitly requested hospitals, GPs and community pharmacies not to stockpile additional medicines beyond their business as usual stock levels, after fears had been raised over a shortage of medicines following Brexit.

The Government is still negotiating the terms of its EU withdrawal, however, Theresa May has faced opposition to her ‘Chequers proposals’ from both within the Tory party as well as in Europe.

The UK will withdraw from the EU in March 2019.