Utilisation rates of the single occupancy rooms on maternity

WQ.145/2025

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY DEPUTY L.K.F. STEPHENSON OF ST. MARY, ST. OUEN AND ST. PETER QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 24th MARCH 2025

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 31st MARCH 2025

Question

"In relation to the single occupancy rooms on the maternity ward, will the Minister advise for each of the years 2023, 2024 and so far in 2025 –

1. the utilisation rates;
2. how many nights of use there has been by public (free) and private (paying) patients;
3. how much income has been generated by private use of the rooms; and
4. what policies govern the use of these rooms, including the criteria for when public access is given and when payment is required, and where these policies are published?"

Answer

The maternity refurbishment programme meant that there were no single occupancy rooms available until September 2023. All single rooms were out of service whilst the programme was completed.

1. Occupancy data is not captured at room level. The utilisation of the totality of rooms on the maternity ward is presented below.
2. Bed utilisation is calculated based on beds that were occupied at midnight. This approach provides information on overnight stays but does not capture daytime utilisation, in particular where patients return home on the same day that they give birth.

The table below summarises the estimated* number of nights occupied by public (free) and private (paying) patients for full years 2023 and 2024, and for January and February 2025:

Data Sources: Electronic Hospital Inpatient Movement Reports (TrakCare ATD5PA, Maxims IP020DM)

Disclosure control has been applied where numbers are fewer than five, in line with data protection standards.

*Due to system limitations and how bed movements are recorded, these figures should be considered estimates rather than precise counts.

3. The price of the private maternity ward was £171 per night between 1 September 2023 and 30 June 2024. From 1 July, the price was adjusted to £250 per night. The total income generated by private patients in maternity was:

The difference between the figures (66 compared to 108) may be due to discrepancies in how the data was recorded in the system. It is possible that some instances were not reflected as private nights in the activity data, even though they were charged as private nights. This could arise from variations in data entry practices or how bed movements were classified at the time of recording.

4. The public can access the Government of Jersey website which details the below information. When organising a private night, the patient is given a form detailing the costs of a private room.

The Maternity Unit

Private rooms

Our private, ensuite room with TV is priced at £250 per night and is subject to availability (price includes overnight stay, and will be charged in full, even if you go home early). We are unable to pre- book or guarantee use of the private room. It is decided on by the midwife in charge on a day-by-day basis.