Bring back hotel option for Southampton patients, say islanders

Thursday 11 May 2017

Former patients and their families have spoken out strongly in favour of allowing islanders undergoing treatment in Southampton to stay in a hotel, after Express revealed “serious” concerns over the noise levels, safety and cleanliness of new self-catered accommodation.

Local charity After Breast Cancer (ABC) Support Group and present and former patients hit out at the Health Department earlier this week for having removed the option to stay at Jury’s Inn hotel in January this year, where they previously enjoyed daily meals and a bedroom maid service.

Islanders were instead told that they would have to stay in self-catered two-bedroom apartments in Southampton’s Ocean Village marina complex – a decision allegedly taken without consultation with charities and blasted as “inappropriate” by ABC chairperson Cheryle Raphael.

She told Express that patients – many of whom had flown over for radiotherapy – had shown strong opposition to the change due to having to buy, prepare and cook their own food when in a "vulnerable" state, as well as highlighting infection control and privacy concerns due to having to share the space with another patient and potentially their family.

A number of Jersey people have since raised their voices in favour of bringing back the option of staying in Jury’s Inn, praising the quality and comfort of the service.

Pictured: Patients complained that they would not have the energy to buy, prepare and cook their own meals in the kitchen area (above). (Photo: ESA)

Gemma Eve, who stayed there in 2013 and 2014 in the lead-up to a stem cell transplant, told Express that she, “…wouldn’t have really had the energy” to cook for herself at the time and lauded the hotel experience: “Staff went over and above, when my partner joined me with our son they gave us free parking in the car park and were really kind always. The hotel had a room like a living room with kitchen where Island patients could use rather than being stuck in one room, and the shuttle service to the hospital was great. Couldn't fault them!”

Commenting on Facebook, Gwen Queripel, whose husband underwent eight weeks of radiotherapy, said: “The rooms and washing machine and drying facilities were brilliant, as were the hotel staff and daily bus rides to the hospital.

“This is a traumatic worrying time for patients and their families, certainly not a time to be worrying about shopping and cooking meals! Jury's in was ideally situated if you wanted a short stroll into town. KEEP USING JURY’S INN !!”

Others echoed concerns over patients having to cook for themselves. Another Facebook user, whose father had stayed in the hotel for six to seven weeks last year, wrote: “There is no way my dad would have been able to get to the supermarket & then cook a meal for himself. The apartments would probably work well for a family with a child receiving treatment (if given a free or discount bus pass or access to the hospital minibus) but they don't meet the needs of cancer patients who are likely to be in Southampton by themselves with family & friends visiting at weekends.”

Pictured: The bathroom of one of the Ocean Village self-catered apartments. (Photo: ESA)

Ms Raphael met with Health and Social Services officials around six weeks ago to discuss the matter following a letter penned to General Hospital Managing Director Helen O'Shea in February. Since then and the article's publication on Monday, she says the Health Department are still to contact her with an update.

Express is still awaiting a comment from the Health Department.