Agenda item

5.1

It was moved by Councillor Francyne Johnson, and seconded by Councillor Pat Midgley, that this Council:-

(a)       welcomes the recent decision by the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to put on hold their proposals to change urgent primary care services in Sheffield;

(b)       notes that, as such, the walk-in centre on Broad Lane and the minor injuries unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital will now be secured until at least March 2021 – and that any decisions on the future of these sites will not be made prior to another public consultation, expected to begin in summer 2019;

(c)        notes that the CCG’s original proposals were heavily criticised and that a petition to save these services was signed by more than 10,000 people;

(d)       further notes the Healthier Communities and Adult Social Care Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee’s submission detailed many concerns with the plans and concluded that “we do not feel that we have seen sufficient evidence to assure us that the proposals are in the best interests of Sheffield people”;

(e)       praises the co-ordinated efforts of local MPs, councillors across the city, political activists, Sheffield Save Our NHS, Healthwatch, and all the campaign groups and individuals who responded to the consultation in opposing the CCG’s original plans - and hopes that together we can reach a suitable solution for maintaining easy access to urgent health care for everyone in Sheffield;

(f)        believes that the combined campaign shows that Sheffield fights austerity at its best when working in partnership, and that this victory should be shared by all and it is wrong for any one group to try to take ownership of this issue; and

(g)       reaffirms that this Administration is committed to reducing health inequalities and that ensuring easily accessible urgent health care for everyone in Sheffield is of paramount importance.

5.1.1

(NOTE: With the agreement of the Council and at the request of the mover of the Motion (Councillor Francyne Johnson), the Motion as published in the Summons was altered by the substitution, in paragraph (b), of the words “March 2021” for the words “September 2020”.)

5.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Steve Ayris, seconded by Councillor Gail Smith, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (e) and (f) as follows, and the re-lettering of original paragraphs (e) to (g) as new paragraphs (g) to (i):-

(e)       recalls the Notice of Motion put to this Council in December 2017 calling upon the Leader of the Council to set up a group of Party Leaders on the Council to co-ordinate a campaign by the Council in opposing the closure of the Walk-In Centre on Broad Lane and the Minor Injuries Unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital;

(f)        regrets that this was not taken up by the Administration at that time;

5.3

It was then moved by Councillor Martin Phipps, seconded by Councillor Douglas Johnson, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.         the insertion, in paragraph (e), of the words “, students’ unions” after the word “Healthwatch”; and

2.         the addition of new paragraphs (g) and (h) as follows, and the re-lettering of original paragraph (g) as a new paragraph (i):-

(g)       notes the Care Quality Commission’s recent review criticising the lack of scrutiny from the single-party Sheffield Health & Wellbeing Board, and supports the intention for the membership of this Board to be reassessed;

(h)       notes that one criticism of the CCG’s consultation was the lack of any actual proposal to improve access to patients’ own GPs for continuity of care, and therefore calls upon the CCG to bring forward quantitative proposals on how they intend to strengthen Primary Care in Sheffield;

5.4

After contributions from seven other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Francyne Johnson, the amendment moved by Councillor Steve Ayris was put to the vote and was negatived.

5.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Martin Phipps was then put to the vote and was also negatived, except for part 1 of the amendment, which was carried.

5.6

The original Motion, as altered and as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)       welcomes the recent decision by the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to put on hold their proposals to change urgent primary care services in Sheffield;

(b)       notes that, as such, the walk-in centre on Broad Lane and the minor injuries unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital will now be secured until at least March 2021 – and that any decisions on the future of these sites will not be made prior to another public consultation, expected to begin in summer 2019;

(c)        notes that the CCG’s original proposals were heavily criticised and that a petition to save these services was signed by more than 10,000 people;

(d)       further notes the Healthier Communities and Adult Social Care Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee’s submission detailed many concerns with the plans and concluded that “we do not feel that we have seen sufficient evidence to assure us that the proposals are in the best interests of Sheffield people”;

(e)       praises the co-ordinated efforts of local MPs, councillors across the city, political activists, Sheffield Save Our NHS, Healthwatch, students’ unions, and all the campaign groups and individuals who responded to the consultation in opposing the CCG’s original plans - and hopes that together we can reach a suitable solution for maintaining easy access to urgent health care for everyone in Sheffield;

(f)        believes that the combined campaign shows that Sheffield fights austerity at its best when working in partnership, and that this victory should be shared by all and it is wrong for any one group to try to take ownership of this issue; and

(g)       reaffirms that this Administration is committed to reducing health inequalities and that ensuring easily accessible urgent health care for everyone in Sheffield is of paramount importance.