Minutes:
(i) At item 16(6) the Council received a Motion in the names of Councillors Krishna James and William Stoodley in the following terms:
“This Council notes that the NHS bill currently going through Parliament is ill thought out and costly. It is immoral to be wasting close to £1 billion at a time when austerity measures are being implemented in all areas of life, including this Council. This Council notes with concern the risk to Patient Care being produced by this attack on the NHS.
Several Professional Health bodies, the Royal College of GPs, the Royal College of Nursing and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, have grave concerns regarding the reforms to the NHS. Since these esteemed professional organisations have asked that the Bill be scrapped altogether, it can only mean that pushing through the reforms will lead to poor health care for Harrow residents.
This Council notes that the medical director of the largest commissioning cluster in the capital has said hospitals in north west London "will almost certainly" have to close.
This Council wishes to record its clear support for the Royal College of GPs, the Royal College of Nursing and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists in their opposition to these market driven plans to privatise the NHS from the backdoor in the name of modernisation.
This Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the 3 MPs to express our concerns about the risk to the NHS and to ask that Harrow’s 3 MPs categorically reject these proposals and work to ensure that Harrow residents are guaranteed free health care at the point of use.”
(ii) There was a tabled amendment in the names of Councillors Barry Macleod-Cullinane and Simon Williams, which sought to amend the Motion to read:
“This Council notes that the NHS bill currently going through Parliament is ill thought out and costly. It is immoral to be wasting close to £1 billion at a time when austerity measures are being implemented in all areas of life, including this Council. This Council notes with concern the risk to Patient Care being produced by this attack on the NHS.
Several Professional Health bodies, the Royal College of GPs, the Royal College of Nursing and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, have grave concerns regarding the reforms to the NHS. Since these esteemed professional organisations have asked that the Bill be scrapped altogether, it can only mean that pushing through the reforms will lead to poor health care for Harrow residents.
This Council notes that the medical director of the largest commissioning cluster in the capital has said hospitals in north west London "will almost certainly" have to close.
This Council wishes to record its clear support for the Royal College of GPs, the Royal College of Nursing and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists in their opposition to these market driven plans to privatise the NHS from the backdoor in the name of modernisation.
This Council notes for information that, under the existing organisational structure of the National Health Service:
1. Harrow Primary Care Trust (PCT) was rated as the sixth worst PCT in the country in 2010 (138th out of 144) by the Health Service Journal, with the second worst competency rating.
2. Despite receiving 5% extra funding from the previous government, Harrow PCT is making up to £57 million of cuts during this year to tackle its own financial mismanagement. Harrow PCTs former chief executive said that its financial problems were "probably bigger than any other PCT in London".
3. Harrow PCT has already cut £2 million out of mental health services, vital to some of Harrow's most vulnerable residents, and is now looking to cut IVF and other services.
4. Harrow PCT ranks in the bottom third for England and the bottom 15% for London for recovery rates for depression and anxiety, with just 35% of patients given psychological therapy for depression and anxiety returning to full health. Harrow PCT ranks 25th out of 29 in London, and 111th out of 152 nationwide.
5. Harrow PCT abruptly closed the Pinner Village Surgery in 2010 without proper consultation and weak justification, inconveniencing thousands of Harrow residents.
This Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the 3 MPs to express our concerns about the risk to the NHS and to ask that Harrow’s 3 MPs categorically reject these proposals and work to ensure that Harrow residents are guaranteed free health care at the point of use.”
(iii) The Motion, as set out at (i) above was carried.
RESOLVED: That the substantive Motion, as set out at (i) above, be adopted.