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WQ.166/2025
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
BY DEPUTY J. RENOUF OF ST. BRELADE
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 7th APRIL 2025
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 14th APRIL 2025
Question
"Further to his answer during questions without notice on 1st April 2025, will the Minister state whether it is forecast that Heath and Care Jersey will overspend in 2025 and, if so, will he detail –
- the estimated total overspend for the year;
- the factors that are driving the overspend; and,
- whether the overspend will be added to the current departmental budget to set a new baseline for funding in future years?"
Answer
The HCJ financial position for Month 3 (YTD Q1) and year-end forecast for 2025 are being finalised and will be reported to the Health Advisory Board on 29 May 2025 by the Finance and Performance Committee. As reported at the last Board meeting in February, HCJ has continued to experience strong budget pressures due to the fast rising costs of on and off-Island care and high inflationary pressures on drugs and technical supplies. The Financial Recovery Programme (FRP) has continued to deliver efficiency savings and budgetary control measures are being taken to further mitigate cost pressures whilst ensuring quality of care and safety remain paramount.
However, given that modern science continues to develop cures and treatments for more ailments than ever before and that the cost increases of existing treatments often outstrip the normal rates of inflation, the annual cost of Jersey's healthcare remains under review and various initiatives are likely to be undertaken in the coming months to define the quality of service and care that the island would like and establish the extent to which that might be limited by virtue of the amount that islanders are prepared to pay for it.