Overdale Hospital - Meeting with Mrs. I. Le Feuvre - Submission - 11 October 2006

Social Affairs Sub-Panel (Overdale Review) Notes – Meeting with Mrs. I. Le Feuvre

Date: 11th October 2006 Location: Blampied Room, Morier House

Present Deputy A.E. Pryke, Chairman

Deputy S.C. Ferguson Deputy S. Power

Mrs. I. Le Feuvre

In attendance Mr. W. Millow , Scrutiny Officer

1. Mrs. Le Feuvre highlighted that Strategic Plan 2006 – 2011 included a commitment that services would be developed by the Department of Health and Social Services "in partnership with voluntary, independent and parish organisations."
2. Mrs. Le Feuvre recounted that she had visited Overdale Hospital some seven to eight years previously: conditions were poor at that time although the standard of care had been wonderful. She  highlighted  that  people  in care  needed  privacy. Mrs.  Le  Feuvre  explained  her understanding that low dependency patients would transfer to the private sector from the two wards whilst high dependency patients would remain at The Limes or Sandybrook.
3. The Panel was advised of the work Mrs. Le Feuvre undertook with the Registration and Inspection Manager (currently Mrs. C. Blackwood).
4. Mrs. Le Feuvre had chaired the Island-wide Strategy for an Ageing Society (ISAS) Public Steering Group. The work of this group had been interdepartmental, involving the Departments of Housing and Planning and Environment. The underlying aim of the group had been to ensure that older  people  were  able  to  remain in their  own  homes,  when this was  feasible. She indicated  that  the  Department  of  Health  and  Social  Services  was  aware  of  the  changing demographics in the Island.
5. Mrs. Le Feuvre expressed concern at the impact that would be made by media reports of the Sub-Panel's work on the review. She also questioned why the Sub-Panel had not chosen to begin its review earlier. The Sub-Panel advised Mrs. Le Feuvre that the scrutiny process was evidence-based and that it would consider the broad and long-term implications of the decision to close the wards.
6. The Sub-Panel was advised of Mrs. Le Feuvre's understanding that the Department of Health and Social Services had had to relinquish capital funds (that had been allocated to it) in order that a new incinerator could be afforded. Mrs. Le Feuvre advised that people would be required to stay in poor conditions for longer if it were necessary to wait for the Department to build a new care home of its own.
7. Mrs. Le Feuvre advised that she had received assurances that the Overdale site would not be sold.
8. Mrs. Le Feuvre informed the Sub-Panel that she attended fortnightly meetings of the steering group that oversaw the closure of the two wards and the transfer of patients. She indicated her belief that the closure and transfer had been managed properly.