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WQ.247/2022
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
BY DEPUTY R.J. WARD OF ST. HELIER CENTRAL
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 24th OCTOBER 2022
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 31st OCTOBER 2022
Question
Will the Minister advise –
- the current policy for those travelling out of the Island for medical treatment with regards to accompaniment by a family member or support person; and
- the cost of off-Island travel for the years 2020 and 2021?
Answer
- For a patient to be accompanied one of the following must be applicable
• Under the age of 18
• Over the age of 75
• Medical reason authorised by their consultant e.g., severe epilepsy, neurological deficit
• Cancer patients for Planning Day and radiotherapy/chemotherapy treatment only.
- HCS Off Island Patient Travel Expenditure:
|
Spend Type |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Air Fares |
648,938 |
734,158 |
|
Hotels |
207,378 |
325,745 |
|
Other Travel |
40,735 |
9,652 |
|
Taxis |
203,189 |
164,645 |
|
Grand Total |
1,100,240 |
1,234,200 |
Additional Information
As discussed with the Deputy at their meeting with the Minister and her officers on 5 August 2022, the Minister is exploring changes to the existing policy and has instructed officers to explore the financial implications of any changes.
The Minister recognises that compassion is needed when it comes to travel arrangements for off island treatment, and that we must recognise that patients will require different levels of support and that it may not be appropriate to assume what this may be using a pre-set criterion, such as the age of the patient.
In the immediate future, the Minister has asked officers to ensure efforts are made to support requests from patients for a travel companion that would fall outside the existing policy.
In the longer term, the Minister is considering a permanent change to policy. The change would be to remove all requirements placed on travel companions so as to allow any and all Islanders travelling off island for treatment to have one individual accompany them for support. Such a policy change would incur a cost to the taxpayer and, as such, would require a proposal in the next Government Plan once the relevant data has been collected and business case prepared before it is then considered by the Minister, Council of Ministers, the Health and Social Services Scrutiny Panel, and the States Assembly as part of the Government Plan process.