Gov appoints "critical friends" to multi-site hospital programme

Monday 18 September 2023

A GP, former senior civil servant, sustainability expert and two clinicians have been appointed to advise the Government on its multi-site hospital plans.

Ministers say that the three independent advisers and two clinical advisers will act as “critical friends” to support their ‘New Healthcare Facilities Programme’, which includes building a new inpatients hospital at Overdale and outpatients centre in Kensington Place.

Their appointment followed a public recruitment process earlier this year.

The independent advisers are:

• Dr Nigel Minihane, who has been a Jersey-based GP for more than 30 years and a leading voice for primary care; 
• Michelle Ryan, who is director of a sustainability business and co-chair of Jersey Maternity Voices; and 
• former Director General for Growth, Housing and Environment, John Rogers.

The advisers will attend the New Healthcare Facilities Ministerial Group, which normally meets once per month. The time commitment is expected to be approximately 15 days per year.

The two clinical advisers are Jon Shenfine and Dr James Grose, who will share the role of Clinical Adviser for the NHFP.

The two Jersey-based doctors will work with Health and the wider government to provide an appropriate brief for the new facilities to ensure that any design provides the best configuration to support future healthcare delivery for the island.

Mr Shenfine came to Jersey as a general surgeon with a background in specialist oesophago-gastric surgery, delivered in a variety of healthcare settings. He maintains an international academic role and has previously supported two new hospital moves in Australia.

Before his move to Jersey in 2021, Dr Grose worked as the Clinical Lead for Palliative Medicine in St David’s Hospice in Newport and was a lecturer at Cardiff University. He is currently the Clinical Lead for Jersey Hospice Care and co-chairs the End-of-Life Care Partnership for the island.

Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet said: “I am extremely pleased we have been able to attract such experienced advisers to act as critical friends to the programme. 

“The appointment of advisers is part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, clear decision making and rigorous governance. As we progress with the New Healthcare Facilities Programme, it is important that the programme team and Ministerial Group receives robust challenge.

“I am also very happy to welcome two very knowledgeable clinical advisers to the team. Their clinical experience and expertise will undoubtedly prove extremely important as we begin to brief, design and deliver our multi-site facilities for future healthcare.”

The independent advisers will each be paid £12,000 a year, while the clinical advisers will be paid for one day per week each at their current salary.

Pictured (clockwise from top left): Dr James Grose, John Rogers, Dr Nigel Minihane, Michelle Ryan and Jon Shenfine.