Senator resigns with stinging rebuke for Ministers

Tuesday 12 July 2016

Today's States sitting opened with a shock announcement from one of the Island's eight Senators - Zoe Cameron told her colleagues she was resigning.

She says she has failed to keep her promises to voters, but has heavily criticised the Council of Ministers for failing to listen, being inaccessible and of being too concerned with "reputation and compensation payouts." She also says she feels fortunate to have flagged-up concerns for patient safety in the health service and escaped "with my career and sanity intact."

Senator Cameron is a newcomer to politics, having been voted in at the last election in 2014 on an island-wide mandate with 10,412 votes, coming in sixth place. Despite that triumph in her first election, the GP stood unsuccessfully for Health Minister, and has subsequently struggled to make her mark in local politics: in terms of States business, she is listed only as a member of the Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophone.

Her declaration of interests on the States website lists her private employment as "Cameron Healthcare - GP Locum East of England".

She is Jersey-born, educated at St Mary's School, JCG and Manchester University, and is now married to another GP with two sons.

She has just issued the following statement:

"It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I stand here today to announce my resignation.

"It is clear now 2 years after my election that I have failed to keep my promises to the electorate. I do not possess the qualities or stamina required to make an impact in Modern day Jersey politics or catch the right kind of media attention.

"I had hoped that my experience as a doctor would be of use to this Assembly, to help herald a new era of openness and safety for healthcare staff and patients. I was not fortunate enough to gain a role on The Health and Social Services team, but hoped that the evidence being brought to The Care Inquiry and Serious Case Reviews would validated (sic)  the problems I was highlighting to colleagues. I hoped that the culture of ‘defense and denial’, of ‘that was then and this is now’ might improve.

"As a doctor working in Jersey I have witnessed first hand the way the system deals with those who raise legitimate patient safety concerns. I have faced alarming disciplinary procedures and when investigations into my care of patients revealed nothing that could be referred to the GMC, then my character was dissected. I consider myself one of the fortunate few to have escaped this process with my career and sanity intact thanks to the amazing support I have received from family and friends.

"Perhaps if the Council of Ministers started answering their own emails and listening like I have, without officers present, to the many legitimate concerns that exist (sic). Without worrying about reputation or compensation payouts, concentrating on what is best for our Island (sic). Jersey would not need to spend millions on lawyers, expert consultants, inquiries and investigations that are driving good people out of Jersey."

There will now be a by-election to find her replacement.