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10.05.16
3.4 (9425) Deputy G.P. Southern of the Minister for Treasury and Resources regarding the proportion of Gross Domestic Product spent on health in Jersey:
What proportion of Gross Domestic Product is spent on health in Jersey and how does this figure compare with other jurisdictions?
Senator A.J.H. Maclean (The Minister for Treasury and Resources):
This is a question which a superficial answer does not do justice to. Different jurisdictions have different approaches to the funding of health care. Money available can also be spent efficiently or inefficiently. Relative levels of expenditure per se are not necessarily reliable indicators of better or worse health services or a right level of spending. Calculation of a percentage figure of spend for Jersey alone is problematic. To then compare that with other jurisdictions that fund and manage their health services in many different ways is misleading. However, to be helpful, I am advised that health spend in Jersey, as a percentage of G.D.P. (Gross Domestic Product), is estimated to be around 7 per cent, and raw published data for a basket of other jurisdictions suggests a figure of around about 11 per cent. However the KPMG report from 2011 of health spend for Islands and small countries showed our spend to be much higher, especially on the more relevant per capita basis.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
Will the Minister attempt to answer in a fuller way - a less superficial way - what figures he might have to compare spend on health, in particular, because if we are to devote more and more of our own resources to health we must know, I would think, what position we start off from before we assess how well we have done over the coming, let us say, remainder of the Medium Term Financial Plan.
Senator A.J.H. Maclean:
I find myself agreeing with the Deputy entirely. I am very happy to supply more data. I think what I was alluding to in my answer that this perhaps was not the best question for an oral response. There is more detail that can be supplied in writing; I am more than happy to provide more information, together with health colleagues, in relation to the areas of particular focus for the Deputy . I agree with him, we must ensure that we are spending the right money and as efficiently as possible for the best outcomes. That is what we all, I am sure, in this Assembly want.
Deputy G.P. Southern :
I thank the Minister for his commitment to doing further research on this area.
- Deputy M.R. Higgins:
The Minister has said that he is happy to provide information. Could I ask him if he would provide the information that he based his answer on? In other words, the report that you have mentioned so we can see the criteria that was used in the assessment?
Senator A.J.H. Maclean:
I will pull together as much relevant information, together with colleagues from Health, as I can, and supply it to Members. Certainly with regard to the KPMG report, I am not familiar with whether it has been put into the public domain or not. I am sure it is possible to share it with Members but I will assess the current status of that particular report that my comments in part were based on.