Agenda item

Deputations, Petitions and Public Questions

To receive any requests for Deputations, Presentation of Petitions or Public Questions.

 

The following petition has been received containing 1,500 signatures.  Under the Council’s Procedure Rules it is a qualifying petition which must be debated at Council.

 

Title: Southampton Keep Our NHS Public

 

Government changes to the NHS give the Council increased responsibilities to safeguard public health. These changes provide a base for further privatisation of health services within our NHS.  Already private companies are heavily involved in delivering health services that were once NHS operated.  As residents of Southampton, we urge the Council to declare itself in favour of protecting and promoting the public provision of health services in Southampton.

 

We need the Council to explain to the petitioners, where in your preparations for these changes to our NHS the Council has recognised any thereat to it its public integrity and integration.  We have examined your documents as best we could.  We’ve attended meetings of the Council’s Health and Overview Scrutiny Panel and the Health and Wellbeing Boards, and we’ve seen the communication in Cityview. However, we can not find any clear expression that the Council is aware of the dangers highlighted in this petition.  The communications so far identify very well the health needs of Southampton and the services needed to meet them but, they don’t identify who will deliver the required services. This is a particular failing of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

 

The joint Strategy document has only one clear reference to procurement, in Section 4.1 entitled Scope which states

“The focus of the joint work is on commissioning not on the integration of procurement processes.”

Yet, we believe, this is the area in which the Council will have least control, since procurement is hedged round with all kinds of obligations, especially those expressed in the recently issued Section 75 regulations.

 

We therefore have 3 urgent requests for the Council:

Ø  to revisit the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy taking account of these points;

Ø  to give the Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel the role of monitoring how the increased privatisation forced by regulations affect Southampton’s health provision in the coming years; and

Ø  require that the Panel detail its findings to Council every 6 months. 

 

We recognise that what we’re asking presents you with problems as recent Freedom of Information requests have been met with refusals to disclose on the grounds of commercial confidence.  Even so, we urge the Council to expose as much information as possible rather than allowing such arguments to obscure the transparency owed to us.

 

 

Minutes:

(i)  The Council received and noted a deputation from Maybush Residents Association and pupils from Newlands School – 20mph.

 

(ii)  The Council received and noted a deputation from Steve Squibb on behalf of Southampton against the Bedroom Tax. 

 

(iii)  The Council received and noted a petition having reached 1,500 signatures under the Council’s Procedure Rules regarding Government Changes to the NHS from Jane Freeland.

 

The Council agreed to suspend Council Procedure Rule 14.4 to enable flexibility in debate.

 

With the consent of the meeting, Councillor Shields altered and moved his motion and Councillor Pope seconded

 

“The Council notes the petition from Southampton Keep Our NHS Public / Southampton Defend NHS Group, and recognises the concern expressed in relation to the potential effect of the National Health Service (Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition) Regulations on service provision and delivery.

 

Council reaffirms its commitment to the policy on the NHS reforms agreed at its meeting of 20th March

 

Council resolves:

 

  • That the position set out in the petition that services available though the NHS should be delivered by NHS providers in preference to private providers be supported provided that the quality of patient safety is not compromised.

  • That a letter be sent to local Members of Parliament seeking their support in encouraging commissioners of services provided to local people to ensure they are delivered by NHS providers wherever possible.

 

  • That the Council will work closely with local NHS commissioners, neighbouring local authorities and the Local Government Association to promote and develop a high quality integrated care system in the Solent/ Wessex region based on democratically accountable public ownership. 

 

  • That the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel works with Healthwatch Southampton and other patient and user groups to monitor the impact of the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 on the development of local health services.”

 

With the consent of the meeting Councillor Vinson altered and moved an amendment seconded by Councillor Turner

 

First bullet point third line DELETE

 

“safety is not compromised”

 

INSERT

 

“care is always the overriding consideration”

 

Second Bullet point third line after ensure they are

 

INSERT

 

“available to be delivered by”

 

Third bullet point last line

 

DELETE

 

“Ownership”

 

REPLACE with

 

“Services”

 

AMENDED MOTION TO READ:

 

“The Council notes the petition from Southampton Keep Our NHS Public / Southampton Defend NHS Group, and recognises the concern expressed in relation to the potential effect of the National Health Service (Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition) Regulations on service provision and delivery.”

 

Council resolves:

 

  • That the position set out in the petition that services available though the NHS should be delivered by NHS providers in preference to private providers be supported provided that the quality of patient care is always the overriding consideration;

 

  • That a letter be sent to local Members of Parliament seeking their support in encouraging commissioners of services provided to localpeople to ensure they are available to be delivered by delivered by NHS providers wherever possible.

 

  • That the Council will work closely with local NHS commissioners, neighbouring local authorities and the Local Government Association to promote and develop a high quality integrated care system in the Solent/ Wessex region based on democratically accountable public services. 

 

  • That the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel works with Healthwatch Southampton and other patient and user groups to monitor the impact of the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 on the development of local health services.

 

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDMENT WAS DECLARED LOST

 

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE ALTERED MOTION IN THE NAME OF COUNCILLOR SHIELDS WAS DECLARED CARRIED

 

RESOLVED that the altered motion be approved.