Where would YOU put the new hospital?

Thursday 19 December 2019

Millions might have been spent whittling a future hospital site list down to 41 possible locations, but now the government is asking for the public’s help in case there are any they’ve missed.

Announcing the call for islanders' suggestions this afternoon, Assistant Minister for Health Deputy Hugh Raymond said it was a case of "leaving no stone unturned in our search for the best possible location for our new hospital."

The current shortlist of 41 sites is based on those assessed for suitability during the previous 'Future Hospital' project, which was written off at a cost of around £27m.

But if islanders are able to think of any big enough to accommodate such a build that the government may not already have considered, they're being urged to share them through a new online portal by Friday 24 January 2020.

Pictured: The site search will involve revisiting many previously rejected sites.

All potential sites for the new hospital - including islanders' suggestions - will be assessed after that date according to a "robust, transparent and objective" set of criteria by the 'Our Hospital Project Team', which includes specialist advisors and clinicians.

They'll be responsible for narrowing the list down to a small number of sites to be reviewed in greater detail.

The key consideration for any site, officials said, will be whether it is big enough to fit the new hospital, whose minimum footprint is currently being established by specialist health planners.

It's unclear which sites may be front-runners at this stage, particularly given that several previous favourites have already been ruled out.

Off the table is People's Park, as well as other St. Helier green areas including Lower Park, Victoria Park, Westmount Gardens or Parade Gardens, as a proposal to protect them passed by just two votes following a divisive debate. 

Pictured: The previous 'Future Hospital' project was written off at a cost of £27m.

Based on the previous site review, among the main remaining options are St. Saviour’s Hospital, the Waterfront and Overdale Hospital - unless substantial new sites are identified in the upcoming £845,000 selection process.

Express revealed in January that Assistant Chief Minister Constable Chris Taylor was pushing for Overdale, which, at the time, was also believed to be the favoured site of the Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré.

Meanwhile, an Express poll suggested that Overdale was also islanders' preferred site, with 1,500 members of the public voting for it over four other locations.

Deputy Raymond said he understood some islanders may be "frustrated" to learn that sites that had previously been rejected were being reviewed again, but added: "...We need to be thorough and demonstrate that we aren't ruling anything out without proper consideration.

"Once we have a list of all potential locations for the hospital, the process of elimination will move very quickly indeed, until we are down to our preferred site by September next year."

He also pledged to keep the public "updated throughout the process as to which sites have been removed from the process, and explaining why in each case".

Pictured: Deputy Hugh Raymond, Assistant Health Minister.

The public call-out for site selection help comes after the government this week began a search for a "delivery partner" to design and build what is due to be the biggest infrastructure project - on par with the UK's HS2 in scale - in Jersey's history.

A notice has been published across Europe and the UK to put potential contract bidders on notice that Jersey is opening the formal tendering process for the project, which is expected to be concluded no later than 2028.

The news also follows the appointment of Mace - the international company responsible for delivering the London Eye, the Shard, and the 2012 Olympic stadium - as project managers. 

Speaking after signing its £742k contract with Jersey's government, one of the firm's directors said it would ensure a "world-class" facility was constructed.