Six months into Health’s ambitious 70-point to-do list for 2026, the department has opened its books on how it is getting on – and, while there has been some progress, not everything has gone according to plan.
Among the problem areas are the Island’s long hospital waits, a heatwave resilience plan now pushed into 2027 after this summer’s disruption and an infectious-disease monitoring system delayed by two years. Express reviewed the list, and some of the key pressure points…
The 70-point to-do list
Last November, the department published an annual plan containing 70 actions it promised to pursue this year, which Chief Officer Tom Walker described as “valid, achievable, and enduring, with a golden thread that links our strategic objectives to individual goals and team efforts”.
It was introduced shortly after Health Minister Tom Binet restructured the department, taking over areas like primary care and public health.
The plan set out five priorities:
- Quality, safety and improvement
- Health promotion and protection
- Access to care
- Experience of care
- A well-led department
Six months in, the scorecard shows a number of delays, and some tasks won’t be ready for years… So, where is it falling behind?
Staff feedback
Containing the government’s largest workforce, Health was due to examine how its staffing should be structured across the Island, particularly as the new hospital starts to come to fruition.
However, that significant plan has been deferred to 2027 or 2028.
When it comes to staff engagement, proposals for a staff suggestion platform were deferred to the third quarter, with plans to trial “physical suggestion boxes at HCJ sites”. An initial plan to use a QR code was described as “not workable”.
Some teams already have their own ways of gathering feedback: the Ambulance Service uses a whiteboard, while the Broader Leadership Forum takes suggestions from managers and leaders.
A system to review feedback regularly and find themes and areas for improvement has also been deferred from July to later in the summer.
Longest waits are still getting longer
One of Health’s 2026 goals was to reduce the number of patients who had been waiting 52 weeks or more for treatment – but this number “continues to increase”, the department admitted.
A “waiting list recovery plan” was put in place place and focusing on orthopaedic and general surgical cases, and numbers stabilised in May.
However, Health said their efforts were neutralised when operating theatres were closed for three weeks during the summer heatwave. And, on that note…
Preparing for the next heatwave…
While a pandemic response plan has been completed, the department’s heatwave resilience plan has now been rescheduled to 2027, with Health saying it is currently being developed.
Infectious disease
Another of the more substantial delays concerns Jersey’s ability to monitor infectious diseases.
A planned new surveillance system included in this year’s plan has been rescheduled by two years. The department instead says it will design and develop a new system by December 2028.
Even then, implementation is not guaranteed, with the department saying it “will be dependent on funding”.
New laws slip
Even then, implementation is not guaranteed, with the department saying it “will be dependent on funding”.
A long-awaited new Pubic Health Law – to replace the Island’s existing nearly century-old legislation – is being developed, with plans to include provisions on how Jersey responds to emergencies.
Health assessed itself as being behind schedule for developing the law, completing consultations, and publishing a timetable.
It said it expected law drafting instructions to be issued at the end of Q3 next month, with hopes that a timetable for implementation could be published in 2027.
Meanwhile, plans for a new Mental Health and Capacity Law have been deferred.
Health’s progress report says the next stage is “pending decision by the incoming Minister” on their priorities – despite there having been no change of Health Minister following June’s election.
Food, heat and the hospital experience
Attempts to tackle the quality of the food and temperatures are also under way, according to the department, though it said it this was not on track.
It said it was reviewing its catering service and recruiting a food safety compliance officer and a nutritionist.
After a summer of hot wards with no air conditioning, including Robin Ward which reached 29 degrees, Health said it had identified 25-degree “cool zones” for the patients who need it most.
It otherwise dealt with the heat by moving patients, using portable air conditioning, and giving out cold drinks and ice lollies.
One patient, one record
Work towards creating a single patient record remains in development and has “strong support”, according to the update.
The project would seek to link NHS numbers with Jersey patient data.
However, a framework governing the use of people’s personal data has been deferred until next year and will require new legislation, which is currently being drafted.
The Health Advisory Board is meeting this morning and the progress report is among the items included in the agenda and board pack.
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