Agenda item

Councillor Brake, supported by Councillor Wildey, submitted the following:

This Council is extremely concerned at the decision made by NHS Commissioners, and the Kent and Medway NHS Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) to move acute mental health inpatient beds out of Medway; leaving the South East’s largest conurbation, outside of London, without this vital service.

 

This Council echoes the disappointment of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee that the Secretary of State for Health did not exercise his powers to order a full review into the service reconfiguration.

 

This Council calls on the NHS commissioners and the provider, to reverse this ill-considered decision as soon as possible so that the people of Medway and surrounding areas regain this important local service.

 

The Council asks that the Chief Executive write to the Secretary of State for Health, the NHS Commissioners and KMPT to convey the Council’s position.

Minutes:

This Council is extremely concerned at the decision made by NHS Commissioners, and the Kent and Medway NHS Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) to move acute mental health inpatient beds out of Medway; leaving the South East’s largest conurbation, outside of London, without this vital service.

 

This Council echoes the disappointment of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee that the Secretary of State for Health did not exercise his powers to order a full review into the service reconfiguration.

 

This Council calls on the NHS Commissioners and the provider, to reverse this ill-considered decision as soon as possible so that the people of Medway and surrounding areas regain this important local service.

 

The Council asks that the Chief Executive write to the Secretary of State for Health, the NHS Commissioners and KMPT to convey the Council’s position.

 

Councillor Murray, supported by Councillor Osborne, proposed the following amendment:

 

Add the following text (underlined) to current paragraph 3:

 

This Council calls on the NHS Commissioners and the provider, to reverse this ill-considered decision as soon as possible and to recognise that the pressure to retain acute beds in Medway reflects the fact that community mental health services are not yet sufficiently effective in preventing crisis for patients and consequently admissions to the acute service are higher than they should be. So that the people of Medway and surrounding areas regain this important local service, and in order to reduce the need for acute admissions and give patients the care they need, the Commissioners are asked to fund the setting up of a recovery house in Medway so that residents benefit from the excellent standards that they and KMPT claim to support.

 

On being put to the vote, the amendment was lost.

 

Under Council Rule 11.4.2, the Portfolio Holder, Councillor Brake, with the consent of the Council and the seconder of the substantive motion, agreed to add the following to the substantive motion:

 

This Council echoes the disappointment of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee that the Secretary of State for Health did not exercise his powers to order a full review into the service reconfiguration and invites him to visit Medway.

 

On being put to the vote, the substantive motion was agreed.

 

Decision:

 

This Council is extremely concerned at the decision made by NHS Commissioners, and the Kent and Medway NHS Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) to move acute mental health inpatient beds out of Medway; leaving the South East’s largest conurbation, outside of London, without this vital service.

 

This Council echoes the disappointment of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee that the Secretary of State for Health did not exercise his powers to order a full review into the service reconfiguration and invites him to visit Medway.

 

This Council calls on the NHS Commissioners and the provider, to reverse this ill-considered decision as soon as possible so that the people of Medway and surrounding areas regain this important local service.

 

The Council asks that the Chief Executive write to the Secretary of State for Health, the NHS Commissioners and KMPT to convey the Council’s position.