Councillor Tuffin proposed and Councillor McDonald seconded a motion on the funding of Health and Adult Social Care Services.

Councillor Mrs Bowyer proposed an amendment to the motion and Councillor Darcy seconded the amendment.

Following a vote, the amended motion was carried, and it was agreed –

·         Plymouth City Council notes the ongoing national debate about NHS funding, funding for Council provision of Adult Social Care and the impact that this crisis has on the people of Plymouth.

·         The Care Quality Commission inspection into A&E services at Derriford Hospital in November 2016 found that, due to a lack of finances within the hospital, the business plan to expand and redesign the emergency department had been put on hold, and that there was "a consistent failure to meet the four hour performance  standard", and that frequent crowding was becoming "normalised". It also reported that patients' needs were not always being met, particularly in respect of mental health patients and those patients being held in the central 'corridor' area;

·         we note the closure of GP surgeries in parts of Plymouth;

·         we also note that increases in Council Tax and the Social Care precept raise proportionately less money in Plymouth than elsewhere, as we have a large percentage of our housing in lower Council Tax bands. This means that there is an increasing burden on people in Plymouth because of an unfair shift from national to local taxation to fund Adult Social Care.

The Council therefore -

1.    Instructs the Chief Executive to –

a.     write to our three MPs, asking them to address the unfair funding that Plymouth City Council receives and raises for Adult Social Care;

b.    in conjunction with all three Group Leaders, writes to the Prime Minister to convey this Councils serious concern over the current model for funding social care. In doing so, the letter should convey the view of this Council that only an urgent and fundamental review will deliver a long term sustainable solution which allows this Council to meet the forecast level of demand for care delivery services

2.    Instructs the Council Scrutiny Review Committees to investigate the impact of our Adult Social Care provision and funding, and cuts to GP services in Plymouth, on increased usage levels and waiting times at Derriford Hospital Accident and Emergency Department.