Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point in the meeting, the Executive Member is asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests,

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

 which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

The Executive Member confirmed that she had no personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, nor any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests, to declare in respect of the business on the agenda. 

To approve and sign the minutes of the Decision Session held on 14 September 2017.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the Decision Session of the Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health, in consultation with the Executive Leader (incorporating Finance and Performance), held on 14 September 2017 be approved and signed by the Executive Member.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Wednesday, 15 November 2017.  Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the Executive Member’s remit.

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be filmed and webcast ,or recorded, including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts or, if sound recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at

https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This report presents options for the Council’s Yorwellbeing Service to help people stop smoking, in the light of the findings of a recent scrutiny review of the service and national guidelines on the most effective way of helping smokers to quit.

Resolved:  (i)      That Option 2 be approved and Varenicline be included in the council’s Yorwellbeing Service support to stop smoking offer, with a hardship fund provided to cover the first 2 weeks of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) or the first 4 weeks of Varenicline for those in financial hardship and the complete costs of 12 weeks’ NRT continuing to be covered for pregnant women accessing the service.

Reason:     To enable the service to support more people to stop smoking, thereby improving the health of York’s resident population, within the existing financial envelope.

                   (ii)      That an update report on the progress of the stop smoking support service, within the broader context of the work of Yorwellbeing overall and of national policies in relation to tobacco and health, be brought back to the Executive Member in six months’ time.

Reason:     In order to monitor the progress of the service and to address the issues raised in the motion on Access to NHS Services approved at Council on 15 December 2016 and at the subsequent meetings of the Health and Adult Social Care Policy & Scrutiny Committee and the Health, Housing and Adult Social Care Policy & Scrutiny Committee held on 29 March 2017 and 20 June 2017 respectively. 

The Executive Member considered a report which set out options for the Council’s Yorwellbeing Service to help people stop smoking, in the light of the contents of a report to the Health, Housing and Adult Social Care Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 20 June and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on best practice. 

The following options were presented:

Option 1 – continue with the current policy of funding Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) for the whole 12 weeks of a quit attempt for pregnant women, with a hardship fund to cover the first 2 weeks for people on benefits. As noted in the report to Scrutiny, a lack of pharmacotherapy support under this policy had led to a decline in the number of people using the service.

Option 2 – include Varenicline in the service offer, with financial support for pregnant women and those on benefits as in Option 1.  This was the recommended option, as it would comply with NICE guidelines at a cost likely to be well within the £27k budget allocated to cover pharmacotherapies.

Option 3 – continue to fund the whole cost of a quit attempt for pregnant women and fund the first 4 weeks of pharmacopatherapies for all other clients.  This would comply with guidance but take the cost over the allocated budget.

The Director of Public Health set the report in context, explaining that it had been written in response to a resolution of the Health, Housing and Adult Social Care Policy & Scrutiny Committee on 20 June 2017, asking the Executive Member to review her original decision to approve the current policy (Minute 8 of that meeting refers). This re-affirmed an earlier resolution made by the precursor of that committee on 29 March, when they considered a report arising from a motion to Council on 15 December 2016.

The Executive Member acknowledged the broader concerns that had been raised by Scrutiny, particularly with regard to the drop-off in referrals and access to the service, and indicated that these should be addressed in a further report.

Resolved:  (i)      That Option 2 be approved and Varenicline be included in the council’s Yorwellbeing Service support to stop smoking offer, with a hardship fund provided to cover the first 2 weeks of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) or the first 4 weeks of Varenicline for those in financial hardship and the complete costs of 12 weeks’ NRT continuing to be covered for pregnant women accessing the service.

Reason:     To enable the service to support more people to stop smoking, thereby improving the health of York’s resident population, within the existing financial envelope.

                   (ii)      That an update report on the progress of the stop smoking support service, within the broader context of the work of Yorwellbeing overall and of national policies in relation to tobacco and health, be brought back to the Executive Member in six months’ time.

Reason:     In order to monitor the progress of the service and to address the issues raised  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.