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Stroud District Council pass motion calling for scrutiny of NHS plans

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[Immediate report, to be updated. The Citizen publised a story on this here: http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/party-support-scrutiny-NHS-handover/story-13437142-detail/story.html]

On Wednesday, 28th September, Stroud District Council hosted an "Extraordinary Meeting" to discuss a motion put forward by Cllr Karen Cross (Labour) and Cllr John Marjoram (Green) regarding the transfer of NHS services in Gloucestershire to Gloucestershire Care Services Community Interest Company. The meeting was well attended my members of the public who filled the public gallery, with jeers and applause as appropriate.

After a fairly "extraordinary" debate (of the farcical kind), featuring several ammendments, a version of the motion was eventually passed unanimously by the Council. The text follows:

 

"RESOLVED: that this Council is concerned that the public view is that GLOUCESTERSHIRE'S COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES are being rushed into a new 'social enterprise' organisation without proper consultation or preparation. We demand proper scrutiny by the Health Community and Care Scrutiny Committee of Gloucestershire County Council so that all assumptions being made by Gloucestershire Community Health Service can be tested and alternative proposals can be considered.
 
 The following questions would be submitted by Cllr Apperley to the Health and Community and Care Scrutiny Committee of Gloucestershire County Council:-
 
·        What are the alternative possible structures and why is a social enterprise outside of the NHS considered the most suitable?
·        Who will actually own the company? Who appoints the Board? Who appoints the Chief Executive? How will staff actually be involved in the running of the company and the appointment of future managers?
·        What will be the terms and conditions for existing staff if or when they move to this organisation?
·        What assurances are there if the social enterprise fails?
·        What will be the terms of conditions for new staff?  
·        Will staff who transfer from the social enterprise back to the NHS loose out on pensions compared to those who remain in the NHS throughout? 
·        How will the local community be represented and what degree of control
will community representatives have?”

 

This ammended motion sadly removes the phrase whereby the "Council wholeheartedly condemns" the rushed transfer - terminology which was apparently too "inflammatory" for the Tories (inflammaTories?).

It also removes the statement that the council "wholeheartedly support[s] the stance being taken by the Gloucester and District Trades Council, Local Anti-Cuts Groups and the general public in fighting this major change to health provision in the County". Hardly suprising that the Tories could not stomach this.

A full report from the meeting will appear on this website in due course.