Agenda item

A notice of motion other than those listed under procedure rule 10 must reach the Chief Executive ten clear days before the relevant Meeting of the Council.

A motion had been submitted by Cllr Proctor as follows:

This Council notes that:

·         Cuts to NHS hearing aid services are being introduced by North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group.  This is the first CCG to decommission free NHS hearing aids.

·         Staffordshire County Council’s Healthy Staffordshire Select Committee has decided to support the CCG’s introduction of a fee for the issue of hearing aids to patients who suffer from certain forms of hearing loss.

Cllr Proctor moved the motion and it was seconded by Cllr Astle.

Cllr Eastwood as Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee stated that this had been discussed at a previous meeting of the Committee and questions still remained unanswered such as why this project had been chosen over all others when all professionals in the field had objected. Cllr Eastwood confirmed that the Newcastle under Lyme Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee had been unable to support the recommendations.

Cllr Loaded stated that he did not support the motion and that the Policy had changed since the original meeting and that the motion contained inaccuracies in so far as the decision would not affect people with moderate hearing loss, dementia or hearing related illnesses such as tinnitus, the decision was only applicable to people with mild hearing loss. Cllr Loades also stated that where hardship relating to hearing loss was identified then an individual would be referred to an audiologist. Cllr Loades also confirmed that individuals could still visit their GP regarding hearing loss but that there would be no immediate support if the hearing loss was below 44 decibels unless it could be shown that the hearing loss was causing hardship to the individual or that the individual could not afford treatment. All cases would be looked at on an individual basis.

Cllr Loades proposed an amendment to the motion:

That this Council agree to monitor, in conjunction with the County Council Health Scrutiny Committee, this change to the North Staffs CCG policy and comment further after a review has taken place and that a report be brought back to this Council for further consideration.

The Leader stated that she could not support the amendment and that hearing loss did not just happen and that individuals needed support from the start.

Cllr Mrs Johnson also raised concerns regarding the impact that hearing loss could have on the mental health of patients. Cllr Loades stated that in cases such as this the case would be taken on by the patients GP.

The amendment to the motion was seconded and a named vote requested as follows:

In Favour: 17

Against: 31

Abstain: 8

The amendment to the motion fell.

Debate returned to the substantive motion.

Cllr Fear stated that the motion should still be withdrawn as it contained inaccuracies.

Members also questioned what the alternatives were especially considering that this decision had been made by professionals and that this Council did not have all the facts on the table in order to make an informed decision.

Cllr Stubbs stated that loss of hearing could have a big impact on quality of life and action taken early on could help to prevent future illnesses, increase that chance of employment and half the risk of domestic violence.

Other Members expressed concerns that no wholescale review of other services had taken place and that the advice from audiologists had not been taken on board.

Cllr Loades stated that the methods followed by CPAG regarding the decision would be on their website including the other possible choices such as skin cancer care, plastic surgery and dialysis.

A vote was taken on the substantive motion:

In Favour: 34

Against: 7

Abstain: 15

Resolved:

•           That this Council write to the CCG asking them to reverse their proposal to introduce a fee for the issue of hearing aids to mild/moderate hearing loss patients in North Staffordshire.

•           That this Council call on Staffordshire County Council’s Healthy Staffordshire Select Committee to reverse their decision to support the introduction of a fee for the issue of hearing aids to patients who suffer from any form of deafness.