The NHS would collapse if its 57,000 EU workers were to leave in the wake of Brexit, according to a new report by The Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR).

The research concluded that EU staff must be offered British citizenship in order to prevent them taking their skills elsewhere. Chris Murray, who headed the report, commented:

“It is critical to public health that these workers do not seek jobs elsewhere. All EU nationals who work for the NHS, or as locums in the NHS system, should be eligible to apply for British citizenship”.

The IPPR highlighted the need to reform the current system of British citizenship, which is seen as both expensive and complicated, in order to prevent a post-Brexit brain-drain.

According to jobsite Indeed.co.uk, the brain drain has already started; thousands of British workers have begun to look beyond the EU for work since the referendum. Others have looked towards Ireland, who will retain access to the Common Market and have English as a main language.

25/08/2016