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WQ.147/2018
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY DEPUTY M.R. HIGGINS OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 11th SEPTEMBER 2018
Question
Will the Minister advise members in detail of the nature of his Department's engagement with hospital staff regarding the building of the new hospital on the existing site, including, but not restricted to, details of –
- the number and nature of any briefings on the proposals, including who was involved and the number of people participating;
- the number and nature of any meetings to discuss the minimisation of noise, dust, and vibrations, including details of who was involved; and
- any written consultation with staff and details of the response to that consultation?
Answer
- the number and nature of any briefings on the proposals, including who was involved and the number of people participating;
In relation to engagement with staff, this is summarised in an appendix submitted as part of the Future Hospital Planning Public Inquiry to be held 17-21 September 2018. These appendices are in the public domain and can be found on the planning inquiry website:
In summary, this document sets out an extensive engagement programme, starting from January 2016 to the present day and covers:
- site options
- engagement about preferred site and implications for wider health and social care system
- progression of planning application and early works
- practical implications and mitigation for relocation and construction
- detailed engagement on clinical requirements and floor / room planning.
Since January 2016, members of the Future Hospital project team have held more than 160 separate meetings with approximately 850 hospital staff to give them information, answer questions, hear their views and discuss concerns and requests.
Since April 2016, approximately 800 staff attending the mandatory HSSD Staff Induction have received a briefing from the Future Hospital Project Director on the project, including site selection and design progress. All those attending had the opportunity to ask questions.
The team has also held 17 drop-ins at the General Hospital involving approximately 650 staff, where people could speak directly to the project director, planning advisor and construction advisors.
The project team meets regularly with the Medical Staff Committee, the consultant body, and further meetings have taken place with ward sisters, porters, housekeeping staff, administrative and training staff, midwives and intensive care staff.
- the number and nature of any meetings to discuss the minimization of noise, dust, and vibrations, including details of who was involved;
In relation to meetings to discuss the mitigation and management of noise, dust and vibrations there are a number of key meetings where these matters have been discussed:
Medical Staff Committee
All Health and Community Services consultant medical staff are invited to the Medical Staff Committee. Since the start of 2016, the Future Hospital project team has attended 11 of these meetings to provide a forum for discussion on issues which included noise, dust and vibration. Some 40 or so consultants attend each meeting.
Infection Control Team
Project directors, including our construction advisors, have met the lead infection control doctor and lead infection control nurse to look specifically at how dust and other building-related contamination would be controlled during demolition and construction of the new hospital. The J3 Project Director shared experience of working on other hospital schemes where construction was carried out on an existing site safely.
Future Hospital Safety Leadership Team Meeting
This committee was set up to develop the necessary policies and procedures to guide safe demolition, construction of the buildings and the safe operation of the hospital throughout the programme of work. It comprises members of the Project Team and Health staff, including infection control staff. There have been two meetings to date.
The Committee comprises:
- Project construction team
- Project client team
- Lead infection control doctor
- Lead infection control nurse
- Health and Safety Manager – Health and Social Care
- Health and Safety Manager – Growth, Health and Environment
- Head of Estates – Health
Staff Drop-Ins'
17 drop-ins between January 2016 and September 2018 have given approximately 650 staff an opportunity to speak directly to team members about construction disturbance.
Future Hospital Neighbourhood Forum
The Hospital Neighbourhood Forum has met three times since July 2018. This forum is for people living and working near or in the hospital and is intended to directly address the practical implications of the construction project. Hospital staff are invited to attend this forum Future Hospital construction advisors J3 have attended all three meetings held to date and provided detailed and comprehensive answers to the many public questions and concerns about potential noise, dust and vibration during the project. These meetings will continue monthly throughout the project.
- any written consultation with staff and details of the response to that consultation?
In relation to written consultations with staff, the States of Jersey Consultation Code of Practice advises: "Only consult if change is possible. Public participation includes the expectation that people's contribution will influence the outcome, so only consult if there is scope for change."
The Council of Ministers' preferred option was approved by the Assembly (P110/2016) in December 2016 and an Outline Business Case was developed and subsequently approved by the Assembly in December 2017 (P107/2017).
To consult staff after December 2016 where there was no scope for change of site and raise their expectation that their contribution would influence site choice would have been disingenuous and contrary to accepted consultation best practice and the States of Jersey consultation code of practice.