Brexit linked to rise in hospital death rates in UK due to loss of skilled EU nurses, study finds

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - A new academic study published on Thursday found that Brexit caused an increase in hospital death rates in England as EU nurses were rapidly replaced by less qualified staff.

Researchers examined data from 131 hospitals across England and nearly 10 million patients, revealing that the increased mortality risk associated with Brexit was equivalent to 1,485 additional deaths per year in the three years following the 2016 EU referendum.

The study found a clear link between the proportion of EU nurses employed in hospitals and patient mortality rates, even after adjusting for other factors that might have influenced the outcomes.

Giuseppe Moscelli, professor of economics at the University of Surrey and the study’s lead investigator, said in a statement: "Brexit has had real life-or-death consequences for patients in our hospitals. The evidence we’ve gathered shows that the loss of more experienced or skilled nurses has led to a measurable decline in care quality."

He added: "Our research provides two important take-home messages for taxpayers and policymakers. On the one hand, it underscores the critical role that skilled migrant nurses play within the healthcare system, particularly in emergency care, where the stakes are highest.

"On the other hand, it highlights the considerable reliance of the NHS on foreign nurses and the need to balance this dependence with policies that stimulate the formation and training of a higher number of domestically trained healthcare professionals to prevent similar quality of hospital service deteriorations in the future."