A YORK GP has urged patients not to stockpile medications or ask for additional prescriptions as Brexit looms.

Dr James Read, a GP Partner at Haxby Group, was seeking to ease patients’ concerns about the impact of Britain’s exit from the European Union on their prescribed medication.

He said he wanted to reassure them that there was ‘no need to worry at this stage,’ as he was confident there was enough stock to meet the surgery’s needs.

He said: “Our priority is to ensure a continued supply of medicines to our patients. We would like to reassure patients who are concerned about the effect of Brexit on their prescribed medication.

“We are confident that the supply chain has enough additional stock to meet our needs and would ask patients not to stockpile their medications or ask us for additional prescriptions.

“If, at any stage, this becomes an issue nationally, there are well-established processes in place to manage and mitigate any supply problems that may arise.”

Asked whether the GP had issued the statement because patients had been raising concerns or asking for additional prescriptions, a spokeswoman said: “It’s just a preventative measure to ensure they don’t panic - no specific concerns have been expressed as yet.”

The GP’s comments come just a week after The Press reported other doctors’ concerns that a no-deal Brexit could leave York facing a shortage of medicines.

Dr Andrew Field, of York Medical Group, said then that the practice had seen a reduction in availability of some of the regular medicines prescribed to patients and, with a no-deal Brexit, supply chains would be severely disrupted.

Dr David Fair, of Jorvik Gillygate Practice, said there was already a shortage in York of the medicine Naproxen, used to alleviate pain and swelling, and Furosemide, used to reduce blood pressure, and pharmacists were ‘tearing their hair out’ trying to find alternatives.