Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. The United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union in March next year followed by a transition period until December 2020. Brexit has significant implications for the people, public services and businesses of Wales. Today I'll set out some of the main challenges facing health and social care. In particular, I want to address challenges to our workforce, public health systems, access to current and new medicines, medical technology and innovation, the necessity of continued international research, collaboration and innovation, protecting access to essential healthcare for EU citizens in Wales and indeed Welsh citizens in the European Union. I've issued a written statement to complement this oral statement, setting out more detail.

As the UK leaves the European Union, significant aspects of the devolved settlement will no longer be constrained by EU law. There are 64 areas relevant to the Welsh Government, 11 of which are directly relevant to health and social services. To protect the interests and promote the priorities of Wales, my officials are actively engaged in groups established with the UK and Scottish Governments to assess the implications of these returning powers, to identify any necessary legislative changes and to resolve the co-ordination arrangements needed across the UK post Brexit. In particular, they're considering the implications if no deal is reached and the implications for Wales if that wholly catastrophic situation is allowed to happen.

The Welsh Government set out six priorities for our new relationship with the European Union. One of these priorities is that any new migration system should link migration policy more closely to employment, so that we can recruit the doctors, nurses and other health and care workers that we need, whilst protecting them from exploitation. Right from the start, our messages have been clear and consistent: we recognise the value we place on staff from other countries; we remind stakeholders how the NHS and social care sectors have always drawn on talented people from across the globe; and, in a European context, free movement benefits not only people who deliver services but also, of course, the people who receive them. EU nationals make up an important part of the NHS and social care workforce. Every single employee must be made to feel welcomed and valued for the role that they play in delivering services that benefit the people of Wales. More than that, we welcome the contribution that people make to communities across Wales as friends, neighbours and citizens of our country.

Health threats do not respect national borders. UK citizens currently benefit from EU systems designed to protect public health across Europe. For example, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control provides countries across the EU with protection against notifiable communicable disease outbreaks and public health risks through a single database. Delays in communication around crisis management, or divergence in standards and procedures between Europe and the UK post Brexit could lead to delays in action being taken during a crisis and pose a significant risk to public health. So, ensuring close collaborative links from day one after Brexit will be key to ensuring the people of Wales maintain full protection. This relies upon effective data sharing to avoid returning to the days of quarantine. The EU-wide system on data sharing is overseen by the European Court of Justice. If that is not agreed for the future, then the default position will be that data cannot be shared with the UK. That would pose an unacceptable risk to public health here in Wales. 

The UK has, of course, become used to a high level of food standards and safety, including labelling. Much of this legislation is derived from European Union law. There are effective and rapid systems for exchanging cross-border intelligence and information about serious food risks and food fraud. These systems supply the UK with a warning of any identified threats to food safety from across the EU. That's essential for the protection of public health, to maintain consumers' confidence in their food and to maintain the reputation of UK food businesses. There is a real risk that a European transition could adversely impact the quality and transparency that we have come to expect in this area. So, we want to see strong communication internally across the UK and with our European counterparts to manage risks related to food safety.

Decades of co-operation and harmonisation of standards on medicines and medical technologies have produced proven benefits for citizens across Europe. All medicines and technologies must be of a high standard, proven to be safe and effective before they can be placed on the EU market. Any substantial divergence from Europe would leave us worse off. Restrictions on trade, custom checks and trade tariffs are likely to reduce the availability of some medicines, cause delays in supply, and lead to higher prices. This will also affect future investment choices for companies developing medicines and medical devices. Without a customs union and tariff-free trade with the single market, Wales and the rest of the UK will become less attractive for these well-paid jobs.

Separate approval systems will impact the pace at which we can access new medicines and technologies. For example, in Switzerland and Canada, which have separate approval systems, medicines typically reach the market six months later than in the EU. Any delays on that scale are simply unacceptable. We will continue to press the UK Government to ensure that Welsh and UK patients continue to get early access to new effective drugs, treatment options and the latest medical technologies.

Countries and regions across the world face common and significant health and care challenges. Those challenges can't be addressed in isolation. So, continued collaboration in research, development and innovation is essential. EU programmes provide robust opportunities for health and social care professionals and businesses to collaborate with each other on common goals. We want our health and care researchers and innovators to continue to work with partners throughout Europe and beyond, building on our track record of success.

Finally, I want to address the implications of Brexit for cross-border and reciprocal healthcare arrangements that we currently enjoy with our European neighbours. This healthcare is provided under the same conditions and at the same cost as people insured in that country. Under the proposed terms of the transition agreement, EU nationals currently in the UK and UK nationals living in the EU will be able to continue to live abroad and have the same access to healthcare as they do now. However, the future axis of those reciprocal arrangements is not yet guaranteed as they are subject to the outcome of the negotiations between the EU and the UK Government. But one thing I can make clear: access to NHS Wales operates on a residency basis. That means that free healthcare is provided to people who are ordinarily resident in Wales. Health boards in Wales will not refuse treatment to EU citizens who are ordinarily resident in Wales if there are any difficulties regarding their right to live in this country during the transitional period.

The Brexit risks for health and social care are obvious and critical. If unresolved, they will have real and lasting consequences for our services, for individuals, families and communities across Wales. The Welsh Government will continue to make the case for these to be addressed in any deal to leave the EU. No-one should be in any doubt that leaving the EU without a deal is the worst possible scenario for health and social care in Wales.