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19-21 Broad Street | St Helier Jersey | JE2 3RR
Deputy Sam Mézec
Chair, Future Hospital Review Panel
BY EMAIL
25 September 2023
Dear Deputy Mézec ,
RE: Ambulance Service engagement on New Healthcare Facilities Programme
Thank you for your letter dated 12 September 2023, regarding the New Healthcare Facilities Programme. I write in response to the areas raised in your letter. Please see relevant information below.
- Whether the Ambulance Service have been asked for their view on the following areas:
- Challenges for emergency vehicle access to an acute hospital sited at Overdale.
- Challenges for the Patient Transport Service raised by multi-site healthcare facilities.
- Potential impact on staffing levels caused by the multi-site option and siting of the options outlined in the Government’s proposals.
I can confirm that the Chief Ambulance Officer has provided a view on these areas as part of engagement with the project team.
- How this has been reflected in the Strategic Outline Case for the New Healthcare Facilities Programme
Neither I nor the Chief Ambulance Officer has, to date, had sight of the Strategic Outline Case, so am not able to definitively confirm this. However, I understand that the Feasibility Study informed the options appraised as part of the Strategic Outline Case.
Challenges identified by the Ambulance Service are reflected in sections 7, 11 and 13 of the Feasibility Study as well as the Civil Engineering feasibility Report undertaken by Arup.
We are satisfied that discussions to date have been constructive, although acknowledge the need for further dialogue to address challenges identified in partnership with the New Healthcare Facilities programme team.
What direct discussions have taken place with Ambulance Service Staff and managers about any concerns they have about the multi-site option
The NHFP teams held three meetings with the Ambulance Service, on 24 April 2023, 10 May 2023, and 14 June 2023.
A further meeting took place on 7 September 2023, at which time the Minister for Infrastructure also participated in a demonstration journey in the back of an ambulance to better understand the challenges for Ambulance.
As the Minister responsible for the Ambulance Service, I meet regularly with the Chief Ambulance Officer and have discussed this with him on a number of occasions.
As you would expect, these discussions would reflect concerns and comments shared with the Chief Ambulance Officer and other members of the senior team by staff at Ambulance.
Whilst it is acknowledged that there is a need for further engagement between the NHFP team and the Ambulance Service to ensure any impacts on the Emergency Ambulance Service are fully understood, I am satisfied that the Chief Ambulance Officer is being given sufficient opportunity to share comments and concerns with the NHFP team, and the views of the Service are being appropriately taken into account.
Yours sincerely
Deputy Helen Miles
Minister for Justice and Home Affairs