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A vote
was taken (unanimous) on a motion by Councillor James Rixon, which
was carried, as follows:
 
“Council notes:

The
Arthur Rank Hospice is being forced to plan for the closure of nine
of its 23 beds, a 40% reduction in its inpatient capacity, as a
result of Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) being unable to
sustain its previous funding contribution. That this represents an
annual funding deficit of £829,00 which will result in more
than 200 patients a year losing access to hospice care.
Over
16,000 people have signed a petition to protect the funding for
Arthur Rank Hospice, demonstrating massive public concern, with the
petition being handed into 10 Downing Street by local MPs, Pippa
Heylings, Ian Sollom and Charlotte Cane.
Addenbrooke’s Hospital and other local NHS services are
already under severe pressure, including high bed-occupancy rates,
serious discharge blockages, and increasing reports of patients
receiving "corridor care". National data reflects this crisis,
showing a 25% surge in 12-hour A&E waits, marking September
2025 as the worst September on record for this metric.
Cambridgeshire’s GP and primary care funding is among the
lowest per person in England, due to a funding freeze since 2017.
The current funding formula fails to adequately reflect the area's
rurality, hidden deprivation, population growth, and service
demand.
The
Government’s growth ambitions for Greater Cambridge (and the
accompanying significant population, employment, and housing
expansion) will place additional, critical demand on the health and
care system.
There
is a concerning and stark disparity between these cuts and the
NHS’s 10-Year Health plan updated this year which committed
to moving care into the community through the Enhanced Health in
Care Homes model and preventative, neighbourhood-based care,
specifically to reduce hospital admissions.

 
Council
believes:

The
proposed cuts to Arthur Rank Hospice are detrimental, will reduce
the quality of care for vulnerable patients, and will worsen
capacity pressures at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Every
resident deserves timely, dignified, and accessible high-quality
healthcare when they need it, whether via their GP surgery,
community services, in hospital or end-of-life
settings.
Current levels of long waits and "corridor care" constitute an
unacceptable failure of the duty of care owed to every resident and
fundamentally undermine public confidence in the NHS.
Strong
primary care is essential both for preventing ill-health and
relieving pressure on hospitals, and the persistent underfunding in
Cambridgeshire is unjust and must be corrected.
National Government, in partnership with local health bodies,
must ensure that funding, workforce, and infrastructure are aligned
to meet both current and projected need in high-growth areas like
Greater Cambridge.
The
pressures on the NHS, driven by high bed occupancy, staff
shortages, and delayed discharges, require urgent, targeted
national intervention.

 
Council
resolves to:

Support the campaign launched by local MPs to restore the
funding deficit to ensure all 23 beds at the Arthur Rank Hospice
remain open and serving people at the most difficult time of their
lives.
Request the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Health
& Social Care, Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Trust
and the Integrated Care Board (ICB) to:

recognise the petition and public support for Arthur Rank
Hospice and commit to maintaining long-term, sustainable funding
through the ICB for the hospice's specialist palliative care
services.
Roll
out the move from hospital to community care with hospices and GPs
at its heart: ensure the new NHS 10 Year Plan supports the critical
role hospices play in delivering the government’s own policy
of providing community-based care and alleviating pressure on NHS
hospitals.
highlight the growing problem facing chronically underfunded
health services in high-growth areas like Greater Cambridge and the
urgent need for this to turn around.”