Scottish Government contingency plans for medicines in the event of a no-deal Brexit must be published in full to help avert the risk of “avoidable deaths”, four health charities have warned.

Diabetes Scotland, Epilepsy Scotland, Marie Curie Scotland and the MS Society are calling on ministers to disclose plans to avoid disruption to the supply, storage and distribution of drugs in Scotland in a no deal situation.

Medicine supply is reserved to the UK Government but the charities said effective contingency plans for potentially life-saving drugs will depend on close collaboration between agencies.

Angela Mitchell, from Diabetes Scotland, said: “We have a responsibility to articulate the very real worries and fears many have about the supply, distribution and storage of medicines in a no-deal Brexit. Insulin, for example, is a life-saving necessity for thousands of people.”