Select a region
The island’s health services should be restructured to create an "all-encompassing single health system" with a new CEO to oversee it, according to the Health Minister.
Deputy Tom Binet proposed reforms to Jersey's Health Department during a healthcare conference organised by Friends of Our New Hospital last week.
At the event, key figures in Jersey's healthcare sector gathered to address current challenges and outline strategies for future improvements.
In his speech, Deputy Binet highlighted several issues within the Health Department.
This included a lack of progressive governance, entrenched cultural problems, poor relations between management and consultants, and financial mismanagement leading to a £24 million annual funding shortfall.
Pictured: Deputy Binet was joined on the platform by Health Advisory Board member Dame Clare Gerarda, Dr Nigel Minihane, Family Nursing CEO Rosemarie Finley, and Mental Health Director Andy Weir. (Rob Currie)
He said: "Jersey's HCS hasn't developed as well as it should or could have over a good number of years.
"The various components... do not integrate as well as they should or could."
To address these issues, Deputy Binet proposed creating an "all-encompassing single health system" that integrates all components of healthcare delivery under one structure.
This would include appointing a Jersey Health System CEO, creating a new Head of Hospital Services position, and establishing a consolidated Health Department covering all functions.
The Health Minister explained: "We believe that we have to create an all-encompassing single health system that takes all the component parts and puts them into a structure where the right information and the right ideas are fed into a single representative forum or board.
"It can make no sense at all for us to be spending £710 million on a new hospital, only to transfer into it a fragmented service without seamless interconnections."
While the Health Minister focused on systemic reforms, other speakers highlighted more specific aspects of healthcare.
Mental Health Director Andy Weir discussed the challenges in his department – including rising demand, limited resources, and staffing shortages.
Mr Weir, who is a psychiatric nurse with nearly 30 years of experience, also spoke about the looming issue of an ageing population and the expected doubling of dementia cases in the next 15 to 20 years.
Pictured: Mental Health Director Andy Weir spoke about the impact of mental health. (Rob Currie)
He warned: "The impact on mental health and social care services is huge, and we need to start planning now."
Mr Weir also spoke about the need to be realistic in the face of limited resources and defended the decision not to open a dedicated children's mental health ward in Jersey – explaining that highly specialised care is sometimes best provided off-island.
Despite the challenges facing the service, Mr Weir also highlighted the improvements in access to care in recent years.
He said that 85% of patients are now seen within 10 working day, compared to previous wait times of four to five months.
Another key achievement, Mr Weir said, was the reduction of police involvement with mental health cases by 30% over the past two years.
He said: "Now, people are getting support from Mental Health Services, not from a police officer, and that's the right thing."
Dr Nigel Minihane, a local GP for more than 30 years and the former head of the island's Primary Care Body, spoke about the importance of primary care.
In his speech, he described general practice as "the jewel in the crown of healthcare in Jersey".
Dr Minihane, who is known for his work in promoting digital technology, also spoke about plans to introduced a new citizens' portal with personalised access to data.
He highlighted the potential for AI to enhance decision-making and diagnostics in areas such as ophthalmology, dermatology, and radiology.
While Dr Minihane's focused on primary care, Head of Family Nursing and Home Care Rosemarie Finley spoke the importance of community-based health services and preventative care in promoting healthier lifestyles.
She explained that Jersey spends more on hospital services than other jurisdictions. In America and Europe, around 89% of healthcare is delivered outside of hospital settings.
Ms Finley said: "We absolutely need to reduce this chronic health illness burden for us all, not only for our quality of life but also from a cost perspective.
"The health and care system in Jersey must shift away its focus from hospital care to primary GP and community services if it is to be effective and sustainable."
She also spoke about the concept of 'Blue Zones', which are places in the world where people tend to live longer, healthier lives due to their lifestyle and environment
These zones, she explained, are characterised by community-wide wellbeing initiatives designed to make healthier choices easier for people.
These projects focus on changing the environment rather than focusing on individual behaviours.
Ms Finley said that these initiatives could include partnerships with local shops to promote healthy foods, improving walking and cycling paths, and encouraging restaurants to create menus with healthier options.
Dame Clare Gerada, non-executive director of the Advisory Health Board, pointed to other challenges including growing health inequalities and rising rates of non-communicable diseases.
She called for investment in digital systems and data saying that Jersey's health system "still uses antiquated systems".
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.