The Government of Jersey has welcomed the findings of the Follow Up Review on ‘Learning from Previous Hospital Projects’ conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The Chief Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, and Minister for Health and Social Services have considered the findings of the Report, which makes a series of recommendations to the New Healthcare Facilities Programme (NHFP) to ensure appropriate risk management, decision making, consultation and communications.
Addressing the specific recommendations in the Report’s conclusions, Ministers confirmed that:
• The Health Minister will be developing, in consultation with non-governmental providers, the framework for Jersey’s future healthcare services. This work will inform the development of facilities for healthcare staff and patients and support the ambitions of the Government to provide high-quality and cost-effective care into the future.
• A series of critical success factors have been developed as part of the draft Strategic Outline Case for the new healthcare facilities, and these will underpin the Feasibility Studies and ongoing monitoring of the Programme’s performance. These success factors will be presented to Governance Groups, Scrutiny, States Members, and the public on completion of the Feasibility Studies in May 2023.
• The Ministerial Group overseeing the NHFP have established a strong governance framework to ensure that there is rigour in recording and reporting cumulative expenditure, as well as any exemptions and breaches that occur. The Government will be publishing the financial position of the Programme on a monthly basis.
• A programme of regular engagement and consultation has already begun with clinicians and other staff across Health and Community Services. The options for multi-site healthcare delivery have been discussed with staff in workshops, drop-ins and via online videos and digital signage at the General Hospital. The preferred option identified by staff has directed the work of the NHFP in producing the Feasibility Studies.
The Chief Minister, Deputy Kristina Moore commented: “As Ministers we strongly agree with the Comptroller and Auditor General that we must learn from the previous hospital projects to ensure that public money is not wasted and that we deliver the right healthcare facilities for Islanders, in the right locations, without further delay.
“I welcome her Report and am pleased that she has noted the governance approach being proposed for the New Healthcare Facilities Programme represents best practice.
“Many of the recommendations she has made have already been implemented. This includes the appointment of an independent member to advise and act as a critical friend to the Ministerial Group on decision making and governance.”
The Minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Tom Binet added: “The 100-day Review allowed the new Council of Ministers to undertake a necessary but rapid appraisal of the Our Hospital project and to judge it in light of changing global circumstances.
“I am mindful of the Comptroller’s comments that the review was ‘over ambitious’, but I remain convinced that we needed to set out a clear direction for the project team and Islanders that we would deliver the facilities they need, while appropriately managing the risks and impact on both our finances and the environment.
“The team have been working hard to meet the timeline that Ministers have set, and I will be ensuring they are given appropriate time to develop and consult on the Feasibility Studies and functional brief, as recommended by the Comptroller.”
The Minister for Health, Deputy Karen Wilson, said: “Effective and open consultation with clinicians and other healthcare staff is essential to producing a robust functional brief and delivering the healthcare facilities that the Island desperately needs.
“I will work with my Ministerial colleagues to ensure that while we pursue a strict timeline and cost-effective project delivery, the needs of patients and clinicians remain foremost in the minds of all involved in the Programme.”
Government of Jersey News Release