Agenda item

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Olivia Blake

That this Council:-

 

(a)       believes that pharmacies play an important role in promoting wellbeing, such as healthy eating, smoking cessation, exercise, flu vaccination, sexual health, and more;

 

(b)       opposes the Government’s plan to force through a £113m cut this year for community pharmacies in addition to a further £95 million in 2017/18 and regrets that Ministers have refused to listen to repeated warnings about the impact this will have;

 

(c)        notes that only around one in ten community pharmacies will be helped by the Pharmacy Access Scheme, that means around nine in ten pharmacies are potentially vulnerable to these cuts;

 

(d)       notes reports in the summer that the Government’s cuts could lead to up to a quarter of Sheffield’s 128 pharmacies closing;

 

(e)       believes that these plans are a false-economy that will hit the deprived, elderly and long-term sick hardest and will deprive communities of vital local assets when as many as one in four local pharmacies close, and they will also increase pressure on already overstretched GPs and A&E departments;

 

(f)        regrets that these cuts will be a grave loss for our communities in Sheffield and will put more pressure on the NHS; and

 

(g)       requests the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care to write to the Secretary of State for Health demanding the halting of these proposed cuts.

Minutes:

 

Community Pharmacies

 

 

10.1

It was moved by Councillor Olivia Blake, and seconded by Councillor George Lindars-Hammond, that this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)       believes that pharmacies play an important role in promoting wellbeing, such as healthy eating, smoking cessation, exercise, flu vaccination, sexual health, and more;

 

(b)       opposes the Government’s plan to force through a £113m cut this year for community pharmacies in addition to a further £95 million in 2017/18 and regrets that Ministers have refused to listen to repeated warnings about the impact this will have;

 

(c)        notes that only around one in ten community pharmacies will be helped by the Pharmacy Access Scheme, that means around nine in ten pharmacies are potentially vulnerable to these cuts;

 

(d)       notes reports in the summer that the Government’s cuts could lead to up to a quarter of Sheffield’s 128 pharmacies closing;

 

(e)       believes that these plans are a false-economy that will hit the deprived, elderly and long-term sick hardest and will deprive communities of vital local assets when as many as one in four local pharmacies close, and they will also increase pressure on already overstretched GPs and A&E departments;

 

(f)        regrets that these cuts will be a grave loss for our communities in Sheffield and will put more pressure on the NHS; and

 

(g)       requests the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care to write to the Secretary of State for Health demanding the halting of these proposed cuts.

 

 

10.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Sue Auckland, and seconded by Councillor Sue Alston, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of the following words at the end of paragraph (d):-

 

 

 

"and further notes that it is likely to be the big chains that are able to withstand the cuts and, as local pharmacies are vital contributors to thriving district and local shopping centres, believes these changes will disproportionately hit smaller local businesses.”

 

 

10.3

Following a right of reply from Councillor Olivia Blake, the amendment was put to the vote and carried.

 

 

10.4

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

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

 

(a)       believes that pharmacies play an important role in promoting wellbeing, such as healthy eating, smoking cessation, exercise, flu vaccination, sexual health, and more;

 

(b)       opposes the Government’s plan to force through a £113m cut this year for community pharmacies in addition to a further £95 million in 2017/18 and regrets that Ministers have refused to listen to repeated warnings about the impact this will have;

 

(c)        notes that only around one in ten community pharmacies will be helped by the Pharmacy Access Scheme, that means around nine in ten pharmacies are potentially vulnerable to these cuts;

 

(d)       notes reports in the summer that the Government’s cuts could lead to up to a quarter of Sheffield’s 128 pharmacies closing and further notes that it is likely to be the big chains that are able to withstand the cuts and, as local pharmacies are vital contributors to thriving district and local shopping centres, believes these changes will disproportionately hit smaller local businesses;

 

(e)       believes that these plans are a false-economy that will hit the deprived, elderly and long-term sick hardest and will deprive communities of vital local assets when as many as one in four local pharmacies close, and they will also increase pressure on already overstretched GPs and A&E departments;

 

(f)        regrets that these cuts will be a grave loss for our communities in Sheffield and will put more pressure on the NHS; and

 

(g)       requests the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care to write to the Secretary of State for Health demanding the halting of these proposed cuts.