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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER BY DEPUTY R.G. LE HÉRISSIER OF ST. SAVIOUR
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 6TH JUNE 2006
Question
Which Minister has responsibility for developing policy in regard to the financing and possible introduction of an insurance scheme for senior citizens requiring residential/nursing care and will a report, with all costed options detailed, be presented to the States and, if so, when?
Answer
The responsibility for developing policy in this area would rest with the Minister for Social Security. In developing any such policy, he would need to work closely with other Ministers and organisations, and in particular with the Minister for Health and Social Services, given the latter's responsibilities for overall health and social care strategy.
However, it needs to be borne in mind that the introduction of an insurance scheme is only one of a number of options that exist in respect of the funding of elderly healthcare. Health and social care for the Island's more elderly population will form an important part of the strategic report currently being developed by Health and Social Services, and this will identify a high-level plan for the re-design of health and social care in the Island. Funding options for the healthcare strategy will be tailored to the overall strategic direction of the Island.
This particular issue is one of many facing the Island as a result of demographic and health care pressures. These issues, together with options to address them, have already been identified and discussed in the "Policy Review of the Social Insurance System in Jersey - Interim Report", (R.C. 49/2004), presented to the States in 2004 by the former Employment and Social Security Committee.
The draft Strategic Plan 2006-2011 commits the Minister for Social Security to the future development of the Social Insurance System, as reported in R.C. 49/2004, through undertaking public consultation and developing further strategies for the States to consider by 2007 (paragraph 3.6.1 of the Strategic Plan). This review will address the range of available options, including their relative costs.