To receive and consider the recommendations of the Cabinet relating to Councillor Connetts Notice of Motion.
The text of the original Notice of Motion, the Cabinet’s recommendation and any reasons therefor may be seen in full at Minute 104b of the Cabinet held on 9 November 2016 (Page 7 of 9 November, Green Pages).
Minutes:
Pursuant to County Council Minute 57 relating to the Notice of Motion set out below as previously submitted and formally moved and seconded by Councillor Connett that:
Devon County Council recognises and values local pharmacies as a vital primary care health service and as an integral part of the fabric of local communities throughout our county.
Devon County Council notes that;
· 176 pharmacies across the County offer a range of services such as dispensing prescriptions, disposal of unwanted medicines and supporting self-care;
· pharmacies play an important role in promoting wellbeing such as healthy eating, smoking cessation, exercise, flu vaccination, sexual health and more advice and support services are also available to care homes; and
· several pharmacies have achieved Healthy Living Pharmacies (HLP) status recognising and evidencing their role in improving the health of their local population.
Devon County Council is greatly concerned about Government imposed threats to pharmacies as a result of cuts in the budget of £170m nationally taking effect from October 2016.
This is a 6% cut in cash terms but could effectively mean a cut of 12% during the financial year which could potentially close up to a quarter of pharmacies with an increased focus on warehousing dispensary and online services. Service cuts in pharmacies put more residents at risk as well as putting pressure on GPs and on hospital services and therefore increasing NHS costs. A fully funded community pharmacy service is cost effective and is in the interest of patients and carers.
Devon County Council agrees to write to the Secretary of State for Health, NHS England and the Clinical Commissioning Groups serving Devon detailing our concerns and demanding an immediate reversal of these proposals.
and having had regard to the advice of the Cabinet set out in Minute 104(b) of 9 November 2016:
Members then formally moved and duly seconded the amendment(s) shown below and thereafter subsequently debated and determined.
Councillor Hart MOVED and Councillor Clatworthy SECONDED that the Cabinet’s advice be accepted and in recognising:
· that decisions on opening and closing of pharmacies are entirely the responsibility of NHS England;
· the increasing demands being placed upon the wider health service, as has been the case throughout the public sector, and the need for all health services to be financially and clinically suitable, meeting appropriately identified needs;
· the support and desire for an effective pharmacy service given the contribution it may make to equitable, safe, suitable, affordable health & care services both directly and indirectly and particularly in rural areas, as latterly recognised by the Local Government Association;
the Notice of Motion be accepted and representations be made accordingly, urging communities and interested stakeholders to also make representations direct to the relevant decision-maker, NHS England, and to Devon’s MPs and Government to ensure the retention of a universal, effective, pharmacy service reflecting the needs of the local community and to maximise, for instance, support available from initiatives such as the Pharmacy Access Scheme.
The amendment in the name of Councillor Hart was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED nem com and subsequently thereafter also CARRIED as the substantive motion.