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The island's phototherapy service is yet to be reopened after being forced to close four-and-a-half years ago due to the pandemic, it has emerged.
"There are both staffing and equipment matters to be addressed before the service can be reinstated," the Government said.
Phototherapy is a form of dermatology treatment that uses artificial ultraviolet (UV) light to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo.
It can also be used to treat babies who are suffering from newborn jaundice.
Pictured: The treatment is still listed on the Government website as a service being offered by the Dermatology Department.
The response to a request made under the Freedom of Information Law revealed that the phototherapy service was first suspended in March 2020 in response to the pandemic.
It has not re-opened since.
The Government said that "there are both staffing and equipment matters to be addressed before the service can be reinstated".
The response to the FOI request explained: "Nursing staff trained in delivery of phototherapy require competency revalidation, following four years of non-utilisation of this skill.
"Newly recruited staff must develop core competencies prior to commencement of any phototherapy training."
Pictured: Phototherapy is a form of dermatology treatment that uses artificial ultraviolet (UV) light to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo.
The response to the FOI request also revealed that the equipment for two different types of phototherapy – whole body TLO1 (narrowband UVB) and PUVA (Psoralen sensitised UVA) – requires replacement.
According to the response to the FOI request, a business case for equipment has been completed and an application for funding will be made in the next financial period.
This dermatology department has faced ongoing issues in recent years – with one of the longest wait lists in the Health service.
Earlier this year, it was announced that a full review of the dermatology service was to be undertaken after it emerged that more than 750 patients have been waiting over six months for a first appointment.
Pictured: The waitlist for dermatology is one of the longest across Health, with around 1,500 islanders currently waiting for an appointment.
The minutes from the latest meeting of the HCS Advisory Board – a group of experts appointed to help drive improvements in Health – confirmed that a second dermatology consultant had been appointed, and is expected to be in post by the end of the year.
It is understood that the existing consultant will only see patients with pigmented lesions, and therefore concerns were raised that the new consultant will be "overwhelmed" by the 1,500 patients currently on the dermatology waiting list.
The implementation of an associate specialist, and the recruitment of two GPs with a special interest in dermatology is also expected to bolster the department, but the board acknowledged that "improvement in staffing levels is only the start of the move towards a sustainable dermatology service".
Departmental improvements were deemed a "matter of urgency" by the board due to the length of the waiting list.
The use of tele-dermatology is also being explored, and a dermatology strategy is due to be developed by mid-2025.
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