Issue - meetings

A period of up to one hour is allocated to consider the motions on notice.  This may only be extended with the agreement of the Council.

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Charter

Members considered the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor R. Jenkins:

"This motion is to endorse the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Charter, which sets out the care and support that people who are living with MND and also their carers deserve and should expect and to call upon the Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Environmental Services to ensure the Council adopts the Charter.

By adopting the MND Charter, this Council would be agreeing to promote the Charter and to make it available to all councillors, council staff, partner organisations and health and social care professionals who deliver services for the council.

As Bromsgrove District Council we would raise awareness of MND and what good care for those living with this devastating disease looks like, as stated in the Charter, and we will do everything we can as the Council to positively influence the quality of life for local people with MND and their carers living in our community.

Adoption would also mean taking on successful steps including identification of key programme leads by the Council, publicity and developing links with the Motor Neurone Disease Association who would provide resources and advice.”

The Motion was proposed by Councillor R. Jenkins and seconded by Councillor M. Sherrey.

In proposing the motion Councillor Jenkins thanked Mr Benbow for attending and for his support.  She reiterated the areas covered by him and the five rights outlined in the charter, and also explained the complex needs and challenges faced by MND sufferers.  It was important that all partner organisations worked together to ensure that those sufferers were supported as quickly and efficiently as possible.  It was important that the Council and its staff raised awareness and the importance of the right care in order to help support sufferers in maximising their quality of life.  As it was an disease that rapidly took hold it was important that their needs were prioritised, as a week in the life of a MDN sufferer was like a year.  The Council must ensure that its services were able to respond to the needs to sufferers in providing such things as housing, disabled facilities grants and any benefits that they were able to access.

Councillor Sherrey was happy to second the motion and explained that she had experience of this disease and was aware of the rapid way in which it took hold and affected people.  She hoped the Council could help influence all partner organisations in being able to provide support to those suffering and to provide them with prompt access to the services they needed.  It was important to remember that it was also those caring for the sufferers that needed support too.

Members were in full support of having the charter and believed it was an excellent idea, and hoped that a way would be found in order to promote it locally and to do its utmost best to ensure that the services provided and support needed were available.

Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77