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RESOLVED:

1.      That this Council
notes that:

a)      In September
2023, the NHS issued a National Patient Safety Alert (NatPSA) about
the shortage of certain medication used to treat attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

b)      The shortage of
medication has been caused by multiple factors, including changes
to manufacturers, reduced production of some medications, delays in
distribution, Brexit red-tape, and increased demands on stocks of
medication with rapid rises in the number of ADHD diagnoses
made.

c)      ADHD is a
condition that affects people's day to day lives in many different
ways. People with ADHD can be inattentive, hyperactive and
impulsive, or a combination of both. Traits include restlessness,
difficulties with organisation and concentration, and a tendency to
act on impulse.

d)      ADHD can be a
serious and impairing condition that affects children, young
people, and adults across Milton Keynes.

e)      Although other
medication remains available, they may not be suitable for everyone
and the availability of this medication is not enough to meet the
demands created by the shortage.

f)       The ADHD
Foundation revealed that just over 200,000 (10%) of an estimated 2
million UK citizens with the condition are receiving
medication.

g)      For people with
ADHD stopping their medication can lead to withdrawal symptoms,
leaving them feeling jittery.

h)      Many people are
used to managing their ADHD traits with medication, thereby
reducing the impact ADHD can have on their educational/professional
life, relationships, and finances. Without this medication, people
are left to navigate modern life which is geared towards
neurotypical people, and this has the potential to negatively
impact the day to day lives of people with ADHD in many different
ways.

i)       Many people
have been left without medication since September and will likely
remain unable to access medication until Spring 2024.

2.      This Council
believes that:

a)      The severe
shortage of medication is causing stress and worry among children,
young people, and adults diagnosed with ADHD across the city.
 

b)      ADHD medication
is a lifeline for many, and without access to medication it can
have a significant impact on their everyday lives, for children and
young people this could mean struggling to attend or stay focused
at school, and for adults struggling at work and with their
everyday routines such as managing household chores, sleeping, and
eating. The shortage is also negatively impacting people’s
mental and physical health.

c)      People in Milton
Keynes with ADHD are being let down and are being left stranded
without support, with some only finding out there is a shortage of
their medication when their pharmacy can no longer supply it.

3.      That this Council
resolves to:

a)      Ask the Chief
Executive of the City Council to write to the Department of Health
and Social Care and the city’s MPs to demand they hold a
public inquiry into the shortage of ADHD medication.

b)      Call on residents
across the city to sign the online petition demanding the
Government hold a public inquiry into the shortage of ADHD
medication https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/650973