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Thousands of islanders are due to be asked how they think healthcare should be funded in future, as the growing and ageing population continues to push up costs higher than the rate of inflation.
The poll, which will be conducted by research company 4Insight, is designed to give the Government an understanding of islanders’ attitudes towards healthcare funding.
4Insight will contact 4,000 people directly for online polling, as well as conducting street interviews, and is aiming to get responses from between 750 and 1,000 people, finishing this summer.
The Government said the intention was not to ask people about specific policy options, but rather to gather their attitudes to more general questions focused around four topics:
Attitudes to raising more money for health and care
Preferences in whether the government or citizen should bear more responsibility to raise money
Attitudes towards people who are less vulnerable or have less means
Views on universalism in healthcare
The Government says that the fact islanders are living longer while the population continues to grow means that health and care costs have been increasing faster than the rate of inflation, which could leave a funding gap for services.
Pictured: Health Minister, Deputy Karen Wilson.
Health Minister Karen Wilson said: ‘We know that many islanders are concerned about the costs of healthcare and, as a government, we want to do all that we can to ensure everyone has access to good quality health and care services.
"As well as addressing today’s challenges, we are committed to stewardship of our health system in the longer term.
"We also know that healthcare costs will increase in Jersey, in common with the rest of the world, as the costs of treatments and drugs rise, and as more of us live longer and require more care.
"This means we all need to start thinking now about how we best fund healthcare in the future, and I want to start this process by hearing from islanders.
"It is only by understanding the views of our community that we can develop options for change which are right for Jersey."
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