Public Speaking Time/Open Session
A total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to make a statement(s) on any matter that falls within the remit of the Committee.
Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes, but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned, where there are a number of speakers.
Note: in order for officers to undertake any background research, it would be helpful if members of the public notified the Scrutiny officer listed at the foot of the agenda at least one working day before the meeting with brief details of the matter to be covered.
Minutes:
Mr Stefan Pyra, representing South Cheshire Patient Participation Group (SCPPG), informed the Group about an issue that had been raised regarding prescribing exercise as a form of treatment. SCPPG had received complaints that patients in Alsager were no longer able to receive subsidised access to leisure services at the local leisure centre through prescriptions from their GP. Funding for exercise on prescription had previously been provided by the Primary Care Trust (PCT) and SCPPG believed that the funding was a Council function and suggested that the funding should be reinstated as the exercise programme was useful in reducing the effects of a variety of conditions and therefore reduced visits to hospital or accident and emergency services.
The Chairman asked the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Services if she was able to address the questions raised by Mr Pyra. The Cabinet Member explained that as the subsidised exercise programme was prescribed by GPs for therapeutic purposes it was not the responsibility of the Council or Public Health to fund such an initiative. There seemed to have been an oversight during the transition from the PCT which resulted in the lack of funding. There was currently a pilot scheme taking place in Crewe which was hoped would provide evidence to GPs and the CCGs that providing funding to allow exercise on prescription was worthwhile by providing long term health benefits. The Cabinet Member also clarified that this issue did not impact on exercise as part of cardiac rehabilitation which was separate from exercise on prescription.
The Committee suggested that the Council needed to ensure there was better communication with the public on matters such as these. It was also suggested that the Council should encourage the CCGs to commission exercise programmes for patients, whilst ensuring that adequate services were available in Council leisure centres to do so.