Proposed by Councillor Cherry Povall

Seconded by Councillor James Keeley

(1)  Council has long been concerned with health inequalities in Wirral and has previously debated survival rates for prostate cancer sufferers in Wirral.

(2)  Council therefore welcomes:

·  The creation by the Coalition Government of a new £200m Cancer Drugs Fund to enable patients to be given the treatment they need.

·  Reform of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and the introduction of value-based pricing to enable all patients to access the drugs and treatments their doctors think they need.

·  The decision by the Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology and Primary Care Trust to make available to patients a new drug to extend the life of those suffering from skin cancer.

Amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7(2)

Proposed by Councillor Anne McArdle

Seconded by Councillor Pat Glasman

Delete all after paragraph (1) and replace with the following:

(2)  Council welcomes the £200m Cancer Drugs Fund to enable patients to be given the treatment they need.

(3)  Council notes that symptom awareness, early referral, diagnosis and early treatment for cancer are essential in improving survival rates and to reduce health inequalities across the Wirral.

Therefore:

·  Council expresses concern that the reform of the National Council for Clinical Excellence is a smokescreen for cuts to waiting and treatment time directives which were introduced under the previous Labour Government.

·  That any decisions by CCO, the PCT and the newly established GP Consortia to fund new cancer treatment drugs are made in an open and equal way that does not allow for age discrimination and other undisclosed factors.

(4)  That Wirral Council resists any move to relocate Cancer Services from the present Clatterbridge site to Liverpool.

Amendment moved without notice in accordance with Standing Order 9

Proposed by Councillor Jeff Green

Seconded by Councillor Lesley Rennie

That the amendment moved by Councillor McArdle be amended by the deletion of the first bullet point of paragraph (3).

Having applied the guillotine in accordance with Standing Order 7(8) the Council did not debate this matter.

The amendment proposed by Councillor Green was put and lost (26:29) (Nine abstentions)

The amendment proposed by Councillor McArdle was put and carried (37:26) (One abstention)

The substantive motion was put and carried (37:26) (One abstention)

Resolved (37:26) (One abstention) –

(1)  Council has long been concerned with health inequalities in Wirral and has previously debated survival rates for prostate cancer sufferers in Wirral.

(2)  Council welcomes the £200m Cancer Drugs Fund to enable patients to be given the treatment they need.

(3)  Council notes that symptom awareness, early referral, diagnosis and early treatment for cancer are essential in improving survival rates and to reduce health inequalities across the Wirral.

Therefore:

·  Council expresses concern that the reform of the National Council for Clinical Excellence is a smokescreen for cuts to waiting and treatment time directives which were introduced under the previous Labour Government.

·  That any decisions by CCO, the PCT and the newly established GP Consortia to fund new cancer treatment drugs are made in an open and equal way that does not allow for age discrimination and other undisclosed factors.

(4)  That Wirral Council resists any move to relocate Cancer Services from the present Clatterbridge site to Liverpool.