Future Hospital Review Panel publishes interim report into New Healthcare Facilities Programme Review

10th November 2023

The Future Hospital Review Panel has published an interim report as part of its ongoing review of the Government's new hospital plans and examining whether they are being developed and governed to provide the best outcome for Jersey's healthcare system.

Over the course of the review, the Panel has met and sought advice and information from the New Healthcare Facilities Programme team, the public, businesses, the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Jersey Audit office. It has also held public hearings with the Ministers for Infrastructure and Health and Social Services.

As outlined in the report, the Panel produced 42 key findings and 16 recommendations to Government. A summary of the key areas is as follows:

Cost:

The Panel remains concerned by the lack of information available to States Members about the overall cost of the full programme and whether – in the long term – the 'New Healthcare Facilities Programme' will be more affordable in comparison in terms of the overall cost of construction and the delivery of healthcare provision than the single site Our Hospital Project which had been approved by the previous States Assembly. The Panel recommends that the position on publishing the full cost range of the entire Government Plan debate is reconsidered.

Ministerial consensus:

The Panel is concerned about an apparent lack of Ministerial consensus about the plans, notably between the Minister for Infrastructure and the Minister for Health and Social Services. Consequently, the Panel is unclear on the strength of the input from the Health and Social Services Minister on behalf of her department and how well-reflected its requirements are in the programme.

Election cycle:

Both this Panel, in its comments on the Government Plan 2023 – 2026, and this Panel's predecessor identified the election cycle as a significant risk to the continuation of the now halted 'Our Hospital Project'. This risk persists and is potentially made greater by the phased approach to the work that the Government has taken. The Panel is concerned that future administrations may decide that elements of the programme cannot be started or completed which could leave the provision of some services at risk.

Chair of the Panel, Deputy Sam Mézec, commented "During this review, the Panel has maintained a keen awareness of the immediate necessity to initiate the hospital development, underscoring that any further delay in providing healthcare facilities in accordance with modern standards will be considered unsatisfactory by both the general public and the States Assembly. The next critical step in advancing the New Healthcare Facilities Programme will be the debate on the Proposed Government Plan 2024 – 2027 in December, during which the States Assembly will be called upon to endorse the essential funding for advancing the programme's plans."

Read the full report here.

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