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23.02.07
10 Deputy G.P. Southern of the Minister for Health and Social Services regarding clinical negligence insurance and also a private patient strategy (OQ.12/2023)
Does the Minister accept recommendations 6 and 7 of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report dated 24th January 2023 to “review the arrangements for the funding of clinical negligence insurance to ensure that they match the objectives of future clinical models and the future private patient strategy” and to “develop, publish and implement a Government of Jersey private patient strategy”; and, if not why not?
Deputy K. Wilson (The Minister for Health and Social Services):
As stated in my response to Oral Question 7, I would not want to pre-empt a response which is to be presented to the States Assembly in due course and, again, I would restate, especially if it would override well-established processes.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
I did not hear an answer in any shape or form to my question. What I would refer to is the statement on the report referring to a previous report, at least 2 years old, that says: “Recommendations 6 and 7 have not been implemented.” Will the Minister state why not? What has taken priority over this policy of being competitive with other practices? What has taken over from it?
Deputy K. Wilson :
I have stated previously, I do not want to repeat myself, but I really cannot answer with any other information which is to say the report has only been available for 10 working days. Yes, it may well have made reference to previous actions that have not been implemented but I would prefer to have the information and sufficient time to receive the response from officers and come to an informed position regarding the recommendations. I would suggest that if the Deputy could await the presentation of the Executive’s response, which I have said before will be no later than Tuesday, 7th March, I would be happy to respond on that basis.
The Bailiff :
Very well, then we come to question 11 that Deputy …
Deputy R.J. Ward :
I did have my light on.
The Bailiff :
I beg your pardon, I could well have just missed that.
- Deputy R.J. Ward :
I would like to ask the Minister, given that we are at the stage again of developing a hospital, is it not vital that a Jersey private patient strategy is developed before the facilities are developed for the next 30, 40, 50 years and beyond?
Deputy K. Wilson :
As I have said, I will wait for the response from officers on the position around the recommendations and will be able to respond to the Deputy on that basis.
- Deputy R.J. Ward :
May I ask the Minister whether she feels that a new hospital and a Jersey private patient strategy needs to be developed at the same time or whether the private patient strategy needs to come first so that we know what we are building and what public money might be being spent on to provide private healthcare?
Deputy K. Wilson :
I cannot be drawn into a debate about what comes first or second in this. As I have said, I want to wait for the response so that I come from an informed position and I will be able to give the Deputy a response in due course.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
What I would like to do with the final supplementary is to suggest that the Chair examines the answers given because it seems to me what we have heard is officer-led responses which have deliberately not answered the question, pointing out that previous reports from the C. and A.G. have not been implemented, and that in fact the officers and the Minister have effectively refused to answer the question I have been asking.
The Bailiff :
I will look at the answers to the questions that have been given, Deputy Southern , but generally speaking if a Minister addresses the question, and addressing the question can simply be: “I cannot answer it at this point” then the consequences generally that fall are political and not procedural as within this Assembly but I certainly will look at the terms of the answer if you wish me to do so. Very well, we come now to question 11 that Deputy Ward will ask of the Minister for Social Security.
Deputy R.J. Ward :
Sorry, I was a bit previous there. What I was going to say is the question has been answered in Written Question 33 from Deputy Feltham , so I do not need to ask it but I will take the opportunity to say that great minds think alike.
The Bailiff :
There is no opportunity for clarification as to which great minds you are thinking of, Deputy Rob Ward , but there we are.