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A scheme to cover the high cost of dressings for islanders with chronic sores is still not in place despite £1million of funding being set aside at the end of last year.
Social Security Minister Lyndsay Feltham said that she was "disappointed on taking office to see that work had not commenced" on the scheme, and has announced plans to speed up its launch.
Unlike its UK counterpart, Jersey’s public health service has not historically covered the cost of medical dressings for patients needing treatment for anything from a simple cut to more complex wounds.
Pictured: Islanders have reported spending between £300 and £400 a month to dress their wounds.
Facing dressing bills stretching into the thousands of pounds, some patients have found themselves forced to opt for cheaper options – potentially risking their health in the process.
This was the tragic reality in 2019 when the inquest of an elderly gentleman facing weekly bills upwards of £160 to dress his leg ulcers revealed that, in his desperation to keep costs down, he had resorted to using nappies and sadly died when the wounds got infected.
Following this, a £40,000 trial was launched by Government in 2020 to cover the high cost of dressings for islanders with chronic sores.
The scheme – run in partnership with charity Family Nursing and Home Care – was continued and has been extended throughout 2024.
However, Deputy Raluca Kovacs last year said that the £40,000 is no longer enough to cover the costs.
In a report outlining a £1m funding bid, Deputy Kovacs said that there is a "an identified proven community health requirement" for more funding for medical hosiery and wound dressings.
Pictured: Deputy Raluca Kovacs last year pushed for £1m in extra funding to cover the high cost of dressings for islanders with chronic sores – after one of her parishioners had to go without food in order to afford medical hosiery for his leg wounds.
The funding was approved by the Government, and secured from the Health Insurance Fund as part of the Government Plan 2024-27, which stated: “The new scheme will be set up as soon as practicable and will provide products at no cost to the end user.”
However, it recently emerged that the scheme was still not in place.
Speaking in the last States Assembly sitting, the Social Security Minister said she was "disappointed on taking office to see that work had not commenced" on the funded wound dressing scheme.
Deputy Feltham explained: “The Funded Dressings Scheme is one of my key priorities and I have asked officers to expedite its delivery.
"It is under development and will go live in the coming months."
She added that she has also asked the team to look at a potential short-term solution which means that dressings can be provided free of charge ahead of the main scheme being launched.
Pictured: Social Security Minister, Deputy Lyndsay Feltham said that she was "disappointed on taking office to see that work had not commenced" on the scheme.
The Social Security Minister said: “I know from the personal experience of my close family how costly the dressings are, and how important the correct dressings are in order to manage leg wounds.
"The new scheme will improve the long-term management of conditions such as venous leg ulcers, and allow for more preventative management of conditions.
"Up to £1 million per year has been allocated from the Health Insurance Fund to support the provision of hosiery and wound dressings to those with a clinical need, at no cost to the patient."
Deputy Feltham added that low-income households can get support with the cost of dressings today by applying for an Income Support special payment by calling 444444.
Man had to go without food to afford medical dressings (2023)
£40k trial to fund medical dressings (2020)
Ulcer patient “worried” by cost of medical dressings (2019)
FOCUS: Treating the unseen costs of medical dressings (2019)
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