Financial Assistance for the Cost of Ophthalmic and Dental Care for Persons Aged over 65: Proposed Scheme (P49/2001)- Second Amendments

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE COST OF OPHTHALMIC AND DENTAL CARE FOR PERSONS AGED OVER 65: PROPOSED SCHEME (P.49/2001) -

SECOND AMENDMENTS

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Lodged au Greffe on 10th April 2001 by Deputy A. Breckon of St. Saviour

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STATES OF JERSEY

STATES GREFFE

180             2 0 0 1 P . 4 9 Am  d .( 2 )  

Price code: B

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE COST OF OPHTHALMIC

AND DENTAL CARE FOR PERSONS AGED OVER 65: PROPOSED SCHEME (P.49/2001) - SECOND AMENDMENTS

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1. In paragraph (c) of the proposition for the words “the charity Age Concern (Jersey)” substitute the words “the Employment and Social Security Committee”.
2. In paragraph (d) of the proposition for the words “Age Concern Jersey” substitute the words “Employment and Social Security Committee”.

DEPUTY A. BRECKON OF ST. SAVIOUR

Report

“Public Services Manpower Report for the period 1st July to 31st December 2000 - R.C.14 of 3rd April 2001”, shows that the Employment and Social Security Committee/Department had 111 permanent employees, ten contracts, two trainees and 11 vacancies.

I have attached further information below and I question why the Employment and Social Security Committee cannot find the required manpower from within its existing establishment.

The  Committee  should  be  mindful  of  the  States  debate  of  12th  and  13th  September  2000  on  the “Anti-inflation strategy” (P.125/2000, as amended), in particular the amendment of Deputy J.L. Dorey of St.  Helier, paragraph  (h)-

“ T o  c ha   rge all Committees of the States to produce a prioritised list of their current activities, with a view to

identifying  core  services  and  thereby  making  more  efficient  use  of  States’ financial  and  manpower resources”.

EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL SECURITY MANPOWER Register of contract posts

31st December 1999 6.5 30th June 2000 13.5 31st December 2000 13.5

Increases between 31st December 1999 and 30th June 2000 for the following posts is shown with A and B (below) and the changes of job title are further noted in C (below).

 

1. Register of contract posts asat 31st December 1999 (extract from R.C.  23/2000)

Department Start date End date Job title Post F.T.E.

Employment and 01/07/1998 30/06/2001 Research and Projects Officer 1.00 Social Security 01/06/1999 31/05/2002 Training Manager 1.00

01/06/1999 31/05/2002 Training Assistant 1.00 01/06/1999 31/05/2002 Employment Assistant 1.50 01/06/1999 31/05/2002 Special Needs Employment Assistant 0.50

Special Needs Employment Assistant

01/06/1999 31/05/2002 Board Secretary 1.00 01/06/1999 31/05/2002 0.50

6.50

2. Register of agreed contract postsasat 30th June 2000 (extract from R.C. 37/2000

 

Department	Start date	End date (max)	Job title	Post F.T.E.
Employment and Social Security	01/06/1999 01/06/1999 01/06/1999 01/06/1999 01/06/1999 01/06/1999 20/03/2000 20/03/2000 19/06/2000 19/06/2000	31/05/2002 31/05/2002 31/05/2002 31/05/2002 31/05/2002 31/05/2002 30/06/2002 30/06/2002 30/06/2000 30/06/2000	Training Manager Training Assistant Employment Assistants Special Needs Employment Assistant Special Needs Employment Administrator Board Secretary Business Transformation Director I.T. Specialist Social Security Reform Implementation Staff Business Transformation Support	1.00 1.00 1.50 0.50 1.00 0.50 1.00 1.00 3.00 3.00 13.50

 

3. Register of agreed contract posts as at 31st December 2000 (extract from R.C.  14/2001)

 

Department	Start date	End date (max)	Job title	Post F.T.E.
Employment and Social Security	01/06/1999 01/06/1999 01/06/1999 01/06/1999 01/06/1999 01/06/1999 20/03/2000 20/03/2000 19/06/2000 17/06/2000 18/06/2000 19/06/2000	31/05/2002 31/05/2002 31/05/2002 31/05/2002 31/05/2002 31/05/2002 30/06/2002 30/06/2002 30/06/2002 30/06/2002 30/06/2002 30/06/2002	Training Manager Training Assistant Employment Assistant Special Needs Employment Assistant Special Needs Employment Administrator Board Secretary Business Transformation Director IT Specialist Social Security Reform Implementation Staff Business Transformation Support (Communications) Business Transformation Support (Reforms) Business Transformation Support (IT)	1.00 1.00 1.50 0.50 1.00 0.50 1.00 1.00 3.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 13.50

The Committee states in its own Report (to P.49/2000) (Page 5) -

“ T he    E  mployment and Social Security Committee has experience of benefit administration but has no

experience of dental and optical subsidy schemes and all that they entail”.

The Report goes on -

“ A   li ke  ly two additional posts were identified which were not available in the Department, and given current

States policy on manpower, the Committee looked to outsourcing both on and off-Island”.

I do not believe the Committee and Department have looked either long and hard enough at finding an internal solution, if the Committee seeks to use “agencies” for the payment of benefit then perhaps this should be a policy issue and be part of a wider debate?

I believe the Department would already have much of the necessary information and technology to hand and officers are sworn to secrecy - therefore there is little, if any chance of “gossip”.

I believe providing and delivering a range of benefits, including this one are “core functions” and the Employment and Social Security Committee should seriously review other “current activities” with a view to making more efficient use of States financial and manpower resources.

Consider the above as constructive scrutiny.

For the reasons set out in this report I do not believe there are any additional implications for the financial or manpower resources of the States arising out of this amendment.