The official version of this document can be found via the PDF button.
The below content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments.
1240/5(3457)
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY DEPUTY R.G. LE HÉRISSIER OF ST. SAVIOUR
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 11th SEPTEMBER 2007
Question
What have been the costs to date, if any, in 2007 of accommodation for residents who have been transferred from Overdale to private care homes? What is the cost per week for residents occupying places in private care homes and when will the wards at Overdale, currently accommodating residents due for transfer, be closed down?
Answer
The Deputy will be mindful of the planned closure of Leoville and McKinstry Ward s at Overdale and the transfer of patients to private sector nursing homes in 2006. The transfer of the first cohort of twenty five continuing care clients has been the subject of numerous statements from myself and of course, the issues were fully explored by the Social Affairs Scrutiny Panel – an exploration which is fully described in the resultant report entitled Overdale; the closure of Leoville and McKinstry Ward s (S.R.1/2007)'. The Deputy will also be mindful of my comprehensive and forensic response to that Social Affairs Scrutiny Panel Report. In that response of mine I drew attention to the plain and demonstrable fact that the transfer of clients to the Silver Springs Care Home was a result of detailed planning, a comprehensive assessment of the various competing options, was guided by senior health care professionals and was informed by the wishes and needs of the clients themselves and their families.
During the Scrutiny Panel's deliberations my officers and I placed before the Panel members a full analysis of the costs and benefits of the transfer of clients (the first cohort) to the Silver Springs Care Home. This included information of a commercially sensitive nature – information which the Panel rightly considered in closed session. I remain convinced that the transfer of clients to the Silver Springs Care Home achieved the maximum benefits for the clients themselves and demonstrated best possible value for money for the taxpayer. To date the costs incurred by the States of Jersey in 2007 for these clients remains within the limits as specified in the business case which the Scrutiny Panel had sight of during its deliberations.
More to the point, it is right that the Deputy asks for a progress report on the transfer of the remaining clients (of both residents and users of the respite service) which remain at Leoville and McKinstry Ward s.
As to respite facilities, I am very pleased to advise the Deputy that four nursing respite beds are now provided from the Little Grove Nursing Home an arrangement which came into effect in January 2007. The response from clients is that this respite service is now delivered to a far higher standard and there is a high level of satisfaction with it from clients and their carers. In addition to this, two residential respite beds are provided from the Pinewood Residential Home an arrangement which came into effect in April 2007. Again, these services are highly valued by clients and their carers. Additionally a seventh respite bed is purchased on a spot purchase basis dependent on whether the need is for a residential or nursing bed. We will analyse the use of this bed over the first nine months of operation to determine whether when we seek a contract for this bed it should be to a nursing or residential facility. The cost of these respite services is commercially sensitive but I am very willing to disclose these to the Deputy on a confidential basis to demonstrate good governance and value for money. If he would like a detailed brief on this matter than might I suggest he contact my Chief Officer so that the arrangements can be made.