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19-21 Broad Street | St Helier Jersey | JE2 4WE
18 January 2023
Sent by e-mail
Dear Deputy Southern
We write in response to the recommendations made by the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel, in the comments presented on the 2023-2026 Government Plan (P.97 Com.(2)). We would respond to the relevant recommendations as follows:
Recommendation 1: The Minister for Health and Social Services and the Minister for Social Security must work collaboratively to identify funding in Q1 in 2023 for the provision of free medical dressings to all patients.
The Government Plan allocations for 2023 have now been approved by the Assembly. No new funding has been allocated to this area. This issue will be reviewed by the Minister for Health and Social Services in 2023.
Recommendation 2: The Minister for Health and Social Services should review the Health Service Improvements' capital project at the earliest opportunity to determine whether the level of funding is adequate to ensure patient and staff safety and to address the estate safety issues identified in the recent review of the hospital. The outcome of the review must be presented to the States Assembly and made publicly available. It is imperative that additional funding is requested from the Treasury and Exchequer Department if the review deems it necessary.
A Condition Report of the current hospital facilities was issued in 2019 which is being used as the database for the improvement works. The HCS Estate team, supported by UK M&E Consultants, carry out internal checks regularly to update the annual list of improvement projects to ensure patient and staff safety. Due to working in a live environment, refurbishments and structural updates are limited and the current allocation of funding is reflecting the amount of work that can be undertaken with limited decant facilities.
The Minister for Health and Social Services will request that a review of the condition report will be included in the new hospital feasibility study to ensure that if the new hospital is to be included on the existing site, key decisions around what buildings are to be retained, remodelled or even demolished will inform future HCS Service Improvements projects.
Recommendation 3: The Minister for Social Security should undertake a review ahead of the Government Plan 2024-2027 to determine the level of demand for incontinence products and maternity pads and whether it would be appropriate to put forward a growth bid to enable these products to be provided to Islanders in need for free.
As incontinence products are currently covered by the subsidised product scheme, this recommendation would also need input from the Minister for Health and Social Service. This is not in the Social Security Ministerial Plan for 2023. This issue will be considered in the future, but we will need to consider the results from the free period products consultation, and any learnings from the rollout of those products to the community later in 2023 before any additional services are considered.
Recommendation 4: The Minister for Health and Social Services should review the funding for the programme Placements and Off-Island Medical Care' ahead of the Government Plan 2024-2027 to determine whether the amount is sufficient and to ensure patient care has not been negatively affected due to the reduction in the original growth bid.
The Minister for Health and Social Services agrees with the recommendation to review the funding on the basis that expenditure is continually reviewed and monitored and that clear processes are in place for the agreement of any placements and off-island medical care. Clinical care will not be compromised due to the availability (and reduction) in funding, as if a placement is clinically needed it will be funded, and the financial implications of this be managed.
Yours sincerely,
Deputy Karen Wilson Deputy Elaine Millar
Minister for Health and Community Services Minister for Social Security