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WQ.38/2021
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
BY DEPUTY C.S. ALVES OF ST. HELIER
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 1st FEBRUARY 2021
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 8th FEBRUARY 2021
Question
Will the Minister advise whether the implementation of the Jersey Care Model will allow for patients to access medical specialists on-Island in all areas that may be required; and, if not, will he explain why not and state what options will be available to patients to see specialists in their required area?
Answer
Living on an island requires Health and Community Services (HCS) to commission UK tertiary centres to provide some areas of specialist advice, diagnostic interventions and surgical and non-surgical treatment for a number of our patients. This model is common to many Health Authorities in the UK, where patients would be required to travel to specialist centres for specialist treatment.
The inability to provide certain specialist expertise on Island is, in the main, a consequence of not having the specialist equipment or facilities currently available, for example Radiotherapy, and/or the specific medical skills and knowledge that enables interventions and/or treatments to be undertaken without risk, for example, specialist surgery.
It is unlikely that implementation of the Jersey Care Model (JCM) will ensure patient access to all of the medical specialists we need on-Island. Consideration will be given to repatriating some tertiary services back on-Island, but this needs to be balanced against associated costs, the feasibility, and viability around delivery of these specialist medical services. Factors that can influence this position include workforce supply, Royal College guidelines and best practice such as NICE guidance.
The options need to be looked at in the context of the number of patients requiring specialist treatment, and for some specialties these numbers are low due to the complexity of the intervention or treatment. To be able to confidently perform infrequent specialist surgery requires clinicians to maintain the required skills with minimal risks and upmost patient safety. In reality, for HCS to provide intervention or treatment for every known speciality would not be feasible, safe, or cost-effective. However, HCS is considering expanding the number of visiting consultants to provide additional specialist treatment and surgery on- Island that is presently undertaken in the UK.
As part of the JCM, HCS will be required to undertake an in-depth analysis of any potential treatment or procedure considered for repatriation on-Island. Until this analysis is completed, we are unable to provide details as to what could be provided at this point in time.
As is currently being provided, the options of face to face appointments, surgical intervention, diagnostics, and medical treatment (including radiotherapy) off-Island would continue.