Last week health unions warned that crashing out of the EU without a deal could ‘devastate’ the NHS and disrupt the supply of life-saving medicines for up to six months. A writer with the Twitter handle ‘GirloftheN’ said she depended on three medicines to survive and encouraged others in her position to share their stories using hashtag ‘death by Brexit’.

She said: ‘I am prescribed three medicines without which I would die. I have put a black spot by my name to show that the government has decided to put my life at risk from Brexit. ‘So many of us are in a similar boat.

Many other people have chronic conditions which are fine when treated, but become very disabling when meds aren’t available. Even OTC meds are vital. I’m not scaremongering. The govt now admits the risks to us, but intends to do it anyway.’

#Deathbybrexit began trending on Twitter this morning, with thousands of people dependent on life-saving medicine coming forward to share their stories. Several of those tweeting said they had type one diabetes, which is treated with insulin made in the EU.

Patients with epilepsy, cancer, asthma and other rare conditions said they worried about their health deteriorating after Brexit and accused the government of deliberately putting their lives at risk by pursuing a no-deal.

One person tweeted: ‘I have a prosthetic heart valve and rely on medication to function and survive. I now have a black spot by my name to show that the government has decided to put my life at risk from Brexit.’ Another said: ‘My insulin is made in the EU, and if I don’t get it, then I’m good as gone. I can only stockpile for so long. After that it’s a slow and miserable time without it. But hey, you all get your blue passports. #DeathByBrexit’.