A Jersey medical practice has become the first in the Channel Islands to permanently offer free doctor appointments – but at least one practice in Guernsey has said they won’t be able to follow that example.
The Chairman of Island Health has said that the situation in Guernsey is very different, with lower levels of government support for General Practice surgeries.
“We note with interest the recent article on a Jersey GP clinic becoming the first to scrap patient fees,” acknowledged Dr Mike Long.
“While this is a significant development for healthcare accessibility in Jersey, the situation in Guernsey is quite different,” he said.
Dr Long explained that one of the key differences between doctor’s appointment costs in Jersey and Guernsey is the level of government support they receive.
He told Express that in Jersey, the grant per GP appointment is £50.28, whereas in Guernsey, it is just £12.
“This stark contrast means that practices in Guernsey receive far less financial assistance to subsidise the cost of care,” he said. “Without a substantial increase in government funding, offering free GP appointments in Guernsey would be unsustainable for most Practices.”
As well as warning against drawing comparisons between doctor appointment fees in Guernsey and Jersey, Dr Long said it is also wrong to compare the islands with the UK.
“Additionally, while the principle of free-at-the-point-of-use healthcare is a cornerstone of the NHS, the system is facing severe strain. Rising demand, workforce shortages, and financial pressures have left NHS services struggling to meet patient needs. This raises important questions about whether completely free GP access is a viable long-term model without significant investment and reform.
“Ensuring that all patients can access high-quality primary care is essential. However, any move towards reducing patient fees must be supported by a realistic funding model that enables Practices to continue providing care without compromising quality or sustainability.”
Island Health was the only one of the three practices in Guernsey to respond to questions posed by Express after the Jersey clinic announced it was making its appointments free for patients last week.
Dr Long said that Island Health would “welcome further discussions on how Guernsey can enhance healthcare accessibility while maintaining a system that works for both patients and providers”.
The Windsor Medical Clinic in St Helier said it wanted to stop patients’ finances from being a barrier to good healthcare.
Consultations with its GPs will be free for all existing patients, and for up to 1,000 new patients on a first-come, first-served basis, said Dr Jane Holloran.
She said that it is possible for the clinic to balance its books, while still making appointments free-of-charge and that, by doing so, the clinic hoped to improve early access to care and help prevent serious health problems from developing.