This content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost. Let us know if you find any major problems.
Text in this format is not official and should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments. Please see the PDF for the official version of the document.
2024.02.27.
13.6 Deputy G.P. Southern of the Minister for Health and Social Services regarding public appeals for clinical decisions (OQ.37/2024)
Will the Minister advise whether members of the public can appeal to him directly regarding clinical decisions made within his department and how these appeals are dealt with?
Deputy T. Binet (The Minister for Health and Social Services):
As I am sure the Deputy knows, members of the public are free to appeal to Ministers as they see fit. I am always happy to hear from interested parties. However, I am sure Members will understand that it is not appropriate for me to become involved in clinical decision-making or to comment on issues of individual patient safety. That is the job of trained clinicians and the ones that have got the appropriate experience. Responsibility for patients’ experience currently rests with the chief nurse and the medical director and I am now in contact with both of them on a pretty frequent basis. Where a patient disagrees with or wishes to appeal a clinical decision they are entitled to a second opinion from another clinician within H.C.S. If that second opinion is not available on-Island that can be sought from off-Island. I would just add that H.C.S. has an established process by which Islanders can appeal clinical decisions and that is the Patient Advisory Liaison Service.
Deputy G.P. Southern :
That was a very comprehensive answer for which I am grateful and will study, so thank you but no thank you.