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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 20th JANUARY 2009
Question
Given the Minister's commitment to public service reform, will he outline his plans, if any, for reforming the management of the Health and Social Services Department?
Answer
It is important that the management of the Health and Social Services Department is seen to provide a high quality and efficient service – in exactly the same way as front line health and social care practitioners must demonstrate their effectiveness. This is readily understood by the Senior Management Team of the Department. In this context, there are three significant factors which will influence the reform of the management of my Department.
The first is the Williamson Implementation Plan which will be considered by the Council of Ministers on 29th January 2009. The Deputy will recall that a key component of the Andrew Williamson Inquiry was the proposal for the Children's Executive and the Corporate Parent to be restructured as the current arrangements lack clear lines of managerial and political accountability. If the Council of Ministers and, indeed, the States Assembly accepts this important recommendation, then a Children's Directorate will be formed which will have the effect of restructuring many elements of the Department's managerial and clinical arrangements.
The second is that in partnership with the Controller Auditor General, the corporate functions of my Department (general management, governance, estates, and financial management) will be reviewed by Price waterhouseCoopers to ensure that the arrangements are effective and efficient. The Chief Officer and his colleagues are pleased to co-operate with this review. The review of front line clinical and social care activities takes place as a matter of course and the senior managers of my Department see themselves as being no different in the sense that their activities should be subject to the same level of review. The PwC review will commence on Monday 26 January.
The third is that all senior managers are subject to performance review and appraisal and all members of the Senior Management Team have been appraised within the last twelve months, as per the States of Jersey Codes of Practice. Many members of the Senior Management Team are participating in appropriate professional training and development opportunities. The Deputy will readily appreciate, I am sure, the need for management to remain timely and well trained and thus able to fulfil their responsibilities.
Notwithstanding these important factors, I will have to keep the management arrangements under review if New Directions is accepted by the States of Jersey in due course. I shall seek advice from the Chief Officer of my Department, from the Chief Executive of the States, and from my Assistant Ministers in doing so. Whilst the main emphasis of current planning in support of New Directions is focusing on the range of services and changes which will be required if New Directions is accepted, the focus must then turn to how best the investment is managed and senior people are held accountable in this regard.