The chief inspector of Jersey’s health watchdog has said the regulator has been working “really hard” to prepare for a proposed expansion of its remit to include hospital, ambulance and mental health services – but stressed that it will not serve “as a public ombudsman” if the changes are approved.

Becky Sherrington said that, while there would still be circumstances in which the Commission “may need to step in”, its role was not “to go in and investigate every complaint”.

In November, the States Assembly will debate amendments to the Regulation of Care (Jersey) Law 2014.

If approved, the new legislation would see independent regulation of Jersey’s hospital services – including Government-provided mental-health services – and ambulance services.

Pictured: If approved, the Commission’s remit would be expanded to include Jersey’s hospital services – including Government-provided mental-health services – and ambulance services.

A hearing of the Regulation of Care Scrutiny Sub-Panel took place this morning with JCC chair Dr Nigel Acheson and chief inspector Becky Sherrington, who said the Commission was “working really hard” along with service providers and other relevant stakeholders to prepare for the proposed changes.

Panel member Deputy Tom Coles noted that the draft law clarifies circumstances in which the commission may investigate specific complaints brought against a regulated service.

He asked what preparations the JCC had undertaken “in relation to the management of complaints it may receive” with its expanded remit should the legislation be adopted.

“This is something that could quite quickly overwhelm us,” Ms Sherrington answered.

“Our role as a regulator is to go in and inspect,” she continued.

“Our role isn’t to become the public ombudsman. It isn’t there to go in and investigate every complaint.

“So this is something that we picked up with a policy team that we thought that it needed real clear clarification, so that islanders understood our role and we wouldn’t be set up to fail in their eyes.”

Pictured: Becky Sherrington is chief inspector of the Jersey Care Commission.

Ms Sherrington added that it was “quite clear now that we aren’t there to investigate individual complaints”.

“We aren’t there as a public ombudsman, but we do have a role, though, in certain cases where we feel it’s necessary or we’ve got the resources to do so we could look into a specific complaint,” she explained.

“That is necessary because we are continuing to regulate social care, and there are sometimes instances where we may need to step in.

“So I welcome this clarification, and I think it stops us, as I say, from being overwhelmed.”