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.
2016.12.12
5 Deputy J.A. Hilton of St. Helier of the Minister for Health and Social Services
regarding the services delivered at Sandybrook Residential Home: [9755]
Will the Minister inform Members whether he has any plans to change the services currently being delivered at Sandybrook Residential Home and, if so, what the changes are and the timescale involved?
Senator A.K.F. Green of St. Helier (The Minister for Health and Social Services):
I am very grateful to the Deputy for this question because, contrary to social media comment, Sandybrook Hospital is not closing. This has been very upsetting for the patients, their relatives and the staff. My department does have plans however to undertake a refurbishment at Sandybrook. This is likely to commence after the winter in 2017. It will be undertaken in 4 phases, will involve temporarily as beds become vacant and not being filled.
- Deputy J.A. Hilton:
I think in part the concern has arisen among the public because I am told that the same architect who designed The Limes designed Sandybrook and so the question that was being asked of me was... The Limes was closed down because it was not compliant with current regulations. The question that was being asked of me is: is Sandybrook compliant with current regulations as a nursing home?
Senator A.K.F. Green:
Another very good question from the Deputy . Yes, she is right. The 2 establishments were designed by the same very capable and excellent architect. One was designed, The Limes, as a residential home where Sandybrook was designed as a nursing home come residential home. So the designs are very different. The problem at The Limes was that there were not sufficient wide corridors and sufficient space for people to be able to escape and once I was told by the fire service that in the event of a fire patients would not get out alive - not get out alive - then The Limes had to change. Sandybrook refurbishment is about improving facilities for patients.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
In that case, can the Minister assure Members that there will be no change in the scope for the extent of services delivered at Sandybrook?
Senator A.K.F. Green:
Not entirely, because ... no, and the only reason for that is it is a mixture of nursing and residential. That mixture may change as the needs change as we upgrade. But the number of patients in Sandybrook, be it nursing or residential, will remain the same.
- Deputy J.A. Hilton:
We are very aware that there is a chronic shortage of nursing beds and of course we are approaching the winter months and the demand increases somewhat.
[15:15]
Can the Minister therefore confirm that the plan is to convert those residential beds into nursing beds as the residential beds become available at Sandybrook? Is that part of the future plans for Sandybrook?
Senator A.K.F. Green:
Not entirely, but I did say that this is a dynamic situation but the number of beds will not change. But incidentally I can advise the Deputy that currently we have 13 vacant nursing beds, 38 vacant residential beds and 5 vacant beds specialising in dementia. I have also been discussing with providers further nursing bed arrangements coming forward, including the unfortunate one at Bonne Nuit that will be back online next year.