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WQ.217/2022
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER CENTRAL
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 17th OCTOBER 2022
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 24th OCTOBER 2022
Question
“Given that the Minister wishes to increase the use of the new digital telecare system supplied by Airtel- Vodafone to allow many people who might otherwise require hospitalisation to be treated at home, will she agree to continue the subsidy of the cost of the Community Alarm System to maintain the monthly charge at £10.50 instead of doubling the cost to £21 as proposed by the previous Minister; and if not, why not?”
Answer
Note: For the Oral Question referenced below, please see OQ.68/2022 asked by Deputy G. P. Southern of St. Helier Central on this topic, which can be found in Hansard for the States Sitting held on Monday 25 April 2022 (see link to Hansard here).
Following on from my predecessor’s response to an Oral Question on this same topic, I can confirm that since my appointment the financial situation for users of telecare remains the same.
For individuals who require the system as part of their care package, their use is fully funded by Government of Jersey.
For those individuals that choose to use the system there is a cost which is set to increase, and for those already using the system there is a subsidy in place to mitigate the impact of said increase; the first year remains at its present rate of £10.50, in a year’s time (shall we just the cost will raise to £14, and by 1 July 2025 it will be £21.
My intention is not to change the direction of travel and that by 2025 the subsidy will cease. This means there will be two tiers of users of the telecare system, which has been the case previously. These being those who choose to pay to use the service, and those who rightly receive the service for free as part of their care package.