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STATES OF JERSEY
RADIOTHERAPY UNIT IN JERSEY
(P.113/2021): AMENDMENT
Lodged au Greffe on 11th January 2022 by the Minister for Health and Social Services Earliest date for debate: 18th January 2022
STATES GREFFE
2021 P.113 Amd.
RADIOTHERAPY UNIT IN JERSEY (P.113/2021): AMENDMENT
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1 PAGE 2, PARAGRAPH (a) –
For the words that, in principle', substitute the words –
"that, subject to the outcomes of parts (b) and (c) below, and considering first and foremost the best outcomes for patients,".
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
Note: After this amendment, the proposition would read as follows –
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion
- that, subject to the outcomes of parts (b) and (c) below, and considering first and foremost the best outcomes for patients, Jersey should have its own Radiotherapy Unit for the treatment of cancer patients;
- to request the Minister for Health and Social Services to explore options for delivering a Radiotherapy Unit in Jersey, and for improving the experience and health outcomes for cancer patients; and
- to request the Minister for Health and Social Services to present the option appraisal and recommendations to the States Assembly no later than April 2022.
REPORT
The amendment supports the request to explore options for delivering a Radiotherapy Unit in Jersey and for improving the experience and health outcomes for cancer patients. A decision in principle should be caveated as whilst there is a desire for patients to get their treatment on-island where possible, we need to make sure that treatment is safe and resilient, it is high quality, affordable and the outcome for patients is as good as anywhere else.
The option appraisal will also include the option of an improved off-island radiotherapy provision as an alternative to on-island provision as the aim should be to improve the experience and outcomes for patients.
The Minister for Health and Social Services responded recently to a Petition that requested to Have a radiotherapy unit in the new hospital'[1]. The response states that work is already being undertaken and a report can be provided on the findings as requested in the proposition.
It is recognised that off-island travel can have a negative impact on patients and their loved ones when they are already coping with an illness. Sometimes, there can also be waiting times for off-island treatment which can add extra stress at an already worrying time.
However, the provision of radiotherapy is an area of medicine which requires great clinical expertise and islanders currently undergo treatment in the UK at a specialist centre to ensure their treatment is carried out at the highest level. We need to ensure that clinical safety and patient outcomes are always at the forefront of further considerations. Currently, approximately 150 patients from Jersey a year receive radiotherapy in the UK and we know that some patients choose not to undergo that treatment because of the difficulties of travel and separation from their families. It is therefore likely that the potential demand for on-island therapy is higher than the current off-island activity.
In September 2021 a multi-disciplinary working group was established. The group discussed the possibility of radiotherapy treatment on-island and potential considerations to undertake. The group requested that information across a number of areas was brought together to inform the decision to move to a full business case. A pre- feasibility study was therefore conducted.
The pre-feasibility study highlighted the rationale for investigating the option of on- island provision and highlighted four key areas to consider in further detail in a full business case.
These are:
- personal needs and outcomes (including patient experience, wider family impact and patient health outcomes and quality of life)
- clinical safety (including workforce availability, resilience of the unit and backups, safe application of a range of treatment on island, assurance on quality of the unit and clinical use);
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- financial impact (including detailed demand and capacity data, capital and on- going revenue costs) and
- location, set-up and operational management of the unit (including co-location /separate location options, power supply and infrastructure).
The group made the decision to move to a full business case to give greater clarity and information on these four key areas and to provide options on how to best improve the patient experience and health outcomes. This will also include the option of an improved provision of off-island radiotherapy as an alternative to on-island provision.
It is important to note that should a radiotherapy service be offered in the future in Jersey, some patients would still need to be referred for treatment in the UK, including patients being treated for head and neck cancers. This is because the treatment of those cancers is very specialist and therefore must be provided in a specialist centre.
Financial and manpower implications None as a consequence of this Amendment.