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A charity dedicated to helping islanders with diabetes says it is “confident” about the future of its service - despite the Jersey Diabetes Centre not being mentioned in a document outlining all the facilities that will feature in the new hospital.
Diabetes Jersey is currently based at Overdale, where it offers various services to patients ranging from diet sessions to podiatry.
However, as Express reported last month, the Jersey Diabetes Centre is among the services which do not feature in the design specification documents for the future hospital, along with the Pain Management Centre, the Child Development and Therapy Centre or neurology and memory services, among others.
The subject was also recently discussed in the States Assembly, with Deputy Mary Le Hegarat asking what health services due to be moved from Overdale to the former Les Quennevais School will not return in their current form following the completion of the new hospital.
Pictured: Some of the services currently provided from Overdale Hospital are not mentioned in the design specification documents for the future hospital.
Senator Lyndon Farnham said that all services currently provided from Overdale would be moved to the former school, with the exception of the pharmacy stores, Meals-on-Wheels and horticulture, the location of which he said was still to be decided, with further meetings planned.
He then went on to say that all services would then be accommodated in the new hospital in due course.
“Some have asked not to do that, and others will have a split service by design in line with the new Care Model and in line with the introduction of more community-facing services,” Senator Farnham said, before adding: “I would like to reassure Members and the public that the new hospital will be the pinnacle, the hub and the centre of healthcare in Jersey and will facilitate new models in the future."
Pictured: Services currently in Overdale will be moved to the old Les Quennevais School while the new hospital is built.
Diabetes Jersey's Chair, Bill O'Brien confirmed that the charity had been in discussions with the senior management team of the Health Department.
He also said the charity had expressed concerns about the temporary relocation of services to the former Les Quennevais School, but had been assured that transport would be provided to “get people from a central location to Les Quennevais School”.
Speaking about plans for the longer term, he would not provide details of what model had been discussed, but added: “I have every confidence that the provision of a diabetic centre within secondary care will continue.”
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