Flight of fancy: Hancock charters plane to fly in vital medicines during Brexit

The UK government will fly vital medical supplies in from Europe during a no-deal Brexit via a dedicated NHS aeroplane, it has been revealed.

Huffington Post reported that health and social care secretary Matt Hancock has charted an aeroplane to ferry vital medical supplies into the UK after the country leaves the EU next year.

The decision was made as no-deal Brexit contingency plans were rolled out across the government.

In particular, the plane will transport vital medical supplies including isotopes for cancer treatments and products which can’t be stockpiled due to their short shelf lives. Supplies will be flown in between the West Midlands and Maastricht-Aachen airport from producers in the Netherlands, Belgium and France.

Earlier this week, Hancock told BBC’s Newsnight that he has “become the largest buyer of fridges in the world,” due to no deal preparations. This is so medicines, especially those that decay rapidly, can be stored at the correct temperature to be used in patients.

In December, Hancock warned that pharmaceutical companies must make additional plans to prepare for a no deal Brexit. Previously, Hancock had told companies to stockpile six months’ worth of medicines but has now said they should increase this with an additional six weeks’ worth.

Within the same announcement, Hancock warned that a no deal Brexit could result in reduced border access across Dover and Folkestone for up to six months.

Hancock has mentioned that additional action would take place to prepare for a no deal scenario and it could be that the chartered aeroplane is one of these actions.