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2.19 The Deputy of St. Mary of the Minister for Health and Social Services regarding the engagement of KPMG:
Can the Minister explain to Members why she has engaged KPMG to review the work of the department, what the cost of this work will be, what it will cover and how KPMG came to be selected? She does not have to repeat things that have already been said I mean, in the sense of the cost: we know what the cost is. Thank you.
The Deputy of Trinity (The Minister for Health and Social Services):
Members will be aware that this question has already been answered by a media release, which was issued to all States Members as well when the project was made public. However, for clarity, I am pleased to be able to provide the information. It is a blueprint of effective provision of high-quality and sustainable services which is urgently required. To undertake this task, I have engaged KPMG, a consultant company with extensive experience in health and social care policy strategy and service design, both in the U.K. and other countries. KPMG was selected through a formal tendering process.
The Bailiff :
Deputy , do you wish a supplementary?
- The Deputy of St. Mary :
That was a fairly brief answer, as to saying that their selection for an £800,000 project was as a result of a formal tendering process. How many applicants were there, and can the Minister give us some idea, in view of the size of this contract, what sort of process was involved in selecting the successful applicants?
The Bailiff :
I thought, Deputy , the Minister in a previous question had given the number of people that were shortlisted, so if Members do not listen, it is not terribly satisfactory to ask the same question again.
The Deputy of Trinity :
I did get that question.
The Bailiff :
The second part is new. The second part, I think, was the process. The Deputy of Trinity :
Yes, the procedure the set of companies. There were 3 that were shortlisted in the
end and it was overseen by an independent group with an independent chair, and it
was ratified by the Ministerial Oversight Group.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
The Minister described this as an urgent review. Can she therefore explain why it is going to take some 10 months to come to a White Paper, which will then take a further debate and deliberation before we find out what is going to happen?
The Deputy of Trinity :
In the request by Deputy Jeune for the information behind, it gives a timeline for strategic roadmap development and consultation, and in that process there is a 3- month consultation. It is very tight, and I think that will be self-evident when it has been issued to States Members by the end of the day.
- Deputy A.E. Jeune :
Could the Minister advise Members, did the need for this review come about as a result of the report that the Minister said her new Chief Officer would be doing, and I thought presenting to Members within 6 months, because that 6 months is now up.
The Deputy of Trinity :
The report will come to Members before the end of the 6 months, which is up at the end of December. This is an important issue, as I have said many times, and now we have a permanent Chief Officer, this is something that needed to be in place and we needed to go forward with it.
- Senator J.L. Perchard:
The Minister and many Members will know, as is the normal practice when a complex report like this is being undertaken, that the authors will come back after several months and say that it is increasingly complex and they will require more time and a bigger budget. What, other than the timelines as outlined by the Minister, has she done to ensure that in fact this does not happen on this occasion?
The Deputy of Trinity :
I hope that is not the case. This is, as I said, a very tight timescale and the Strategic Overview Group and the Ministerial Group will keep a very tight rein on it.
- Senator J.L. Perchard:
Just a supplementary: so I can take it from that the Minister will give this House a guarantee that the budget will not exceed the quoted numbers of £800,000?
The Deputy of Trinity :
I hope so, but I can never guarantee anything. But if it does for some reason or other, then the Ministerial Oversight Group will want to know why.
The Bailiff :
Deputy of St. Mary, do you wish a final question on this one?
- The Deputy of St. Mary :
Can the Minister clarify what steps will be taken to allow States Members to at some point in the process speak with the review team, perhaps at the Green Paper stage? Has she included that in her thinking and have they included that in their thinking?
The Deputy of Trinity :
This is a consultation not only for States Members, but for public and third sector and focus groups. As I said before, this is very important, and I apologise if I keep repeating myself, but this is a very important piece of work, and everybody needs to be fully engaged in it. The timeline does say that there is political debate, scrutiny and public consultation between March and May 2011.
Deputy M.R. Higgins:
Could I just ask, I did put my light on earlier and you sort of nodded. I thought you were nodding to me that you had acknowledged it. Is that the case or not?
The Bailiff :
I fear not.
Deputy A.E. Jeune :
Excuse me, Sir, may I just ask a point of clarity from the Minister? The Bailiff :
Well, no, I think you have already asked your question, Deputy . We have got one more question to do. I think I called upon the Deputy of St. Mary. I am sorry to Deputy Higgins if I failed to see his light, but I think we will move on to the final question, which Deputy Trevor Pitman will ask of the Minister for Treasury and Resources.
Deputy T.M. Pitman:
Thank you for your eminently fair judgment, Sir. I thought it was quite perfect. The Bailiff :
The winner usually does.