New hospital on the way?
Saturday 2nd May 2009, 3:00PM BST.
New Health Minister Anne Pryke
A RADICAL overhaul of Jersey’s Health Service could see a new hospital, over-50s having a free GP visit and elderly people living longer in their own homes, if the newly appointed Health Minister gets her way.
Anne Pryke, who was appointed to the post this week, has today revealed what changes she would like to make to the embattled department.
With around 3,000 employees to manage and a budget of £154 million, the Trinity Deputy knows that there was a big challenge ahead.
Former Health Minister Jim Perchard, who resigned after a controversial row with Senator Stuart Syvret in the States, said that the General Hospital was ‘impractical, old, tired and getting past its sell-by date’.
Deputy Pryke also believes that the Island needs an up-to-date and fit-for-purpose Health Service.
• Deputy Pryle is the subject of the Saturday Interview in today’s Jersey Evening Post
Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.
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What we really need is free GP visits for everyone like in the UK. At the moment the amount you have to pay is simply extortionate.
Also with the aging population you need care homes for the elderly provided by the states, and homes for people who have dementia as it is hard to care for these people. Currently the care home prices are also much too high and you get the impression that they are just trying to make a profit.
Less money needs to be wasted on things like the waterfront and more should be invested into health.
Also hospital waiting times are much to long, this could be improved by expanding the staff numbers.
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I would kindly suggest nay demand that the recipricol health agreement is sorted out first. This is causing major problems for many people in Jersey. A new hospital can wait until the basics are sorted out!
However I hope she lasts longer than the previous incumberant who ended up looking silly in my opinion.
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# jersey boy they would have to drag me kicking and screaming before they,d get me in one of those places.i,ve seen too much working in them.
my motto was always live hard die young make a beautiful corpse(but somehow i,ve slipped through the net)LOL but seriously i,d prefer a world where nobody was concerned with over the top health control. just live your life and be grateful for it every day,rather than wasting it mourning the fact it will one day end.yes adrian i agree and it would,nt cost that much either getting their priorities wrong again
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Comment 1 Jersey Boy “What we really need is free GP visits for everyone like in the UK”
You couldn’t be more wrong,have you used a GP in the UK? In theory it sounds great, in practice you wait 10 days to see a GP who if you are lucky, speaks English well enough to understand you.
In 10 days I’d either be better or dead, I can call my GP in Jersey and often see him within the hour, we chat for 15 – 20 mins as he has more time for me and is an outstanding doctor.
I think that the introduction of charges in the UK ( albeit a nominal £5 or £10 charge ) would discourage all the timewasters and people who make but don’t keep appointments leading to the 10 day wait.
The quality of GP’s here is outstanding due in no small part to the significant fee, I’d rather pay to see a good doctor than see a bad one for free!
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As a patient with a critical illness who has to attend the hospital every week I would like to see some changes to fundamental procedures. The nurses are genuinely great but there is no concept of customer service or continous improvement.
For example when I see a consultant he will write out a prescription which can only be made up at the hospital pharmacy. Typically you will wait anything up to an hour for your consultant appointment, get your script and wait another hour at the pharmacy and sometimes find that the item prescribed is out of stock.
Wouldn’t it be better for the consultant to e mail his script to the pharmacy, immediately know if it is in stock and the pharmacist can start preparing it while you are still in consultation thereby reducing the wait.
This is dead simple and yet it is not standard practice, I see elderly people waiting ages for prescriptions and sometimes told that it is out of stock.
Another example – I’m at the hospital for my weekly injections and the nurse says ” can you come in later this week for bloods?” I say “can’t you take them now?” she says sure. Thinking ahead for what is best for the patient costs nothing, they just need to embrace some of the customer service practices common in modern business.
Most of these niggles cost nothing to implement and im prove the experience for the patient.
Rant over – I’m off to take my pills.
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A new hospital. I could see this coming a mile off. Nice idea, except expansion on site would be difficult now that the states in their wisdom have sold most of the surrounding plots to Dandara or have failed to compulsorily purchase while they had the opportunity. Forward planning? Only in finance sir.
If the hospital moves to a new site, one can readily imagine a nice, cosy little deal being struck with respect to the existing site. I hope that I am proved incorrect!
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It’s not a new hospital we need, but a new and competent senior management team.
Quicker, cheaper and much more effective. Don’t spend millions of pounds on bricks and mortar if you still have the same dysfunctional system in place.
Why is it Jersey’s only answer to problems is to throw money (we don’t have) at it?
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Keith Keith Keith…
Just because we adopt one aspect of the UK system does in no way suggest we shall also adopt ALL of their problems too. If we have enough doctors for a short waiting list, then we have enough doctors, how much money is in that equation makes no difference at all, what matters is the system which organises it. By your own admission Jerseys current system is better then the UKs, but where you don’t realise a crucial factor is whether money makes a difference or not.
The thing is, an elderly person on a small pension who is more likely to get ill then other people might not be able to pay this fee. So what do we expect them to do? Just go without? Come on buddy, have a heart.
“The quality of GP’s here is outstanding due in no small part to the significant fee” I find it difficult to believe that
Finally, you mention “customer service” well hang on, I thought they’re patients, not customers?
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Jersey Boy – there is nothing like ‘free GP visit’, like there is nothing like free dinner.
Someone will have to pay for those visits, guess who ? And you should know – there is nothing easier like spending someone’s else money…
My wife and my daughter were not well quite few times this year only, me as well, we had to see our GP several times and paid each time. Sill I don’t mind to pay for visit – it really keeps out time wasters. I used to live on mainland and I couldn’t agree more with Keith – each time we need GP visit we had to book an appointment at least 7 days ahead. Sometimes earlier if we were lucky and somebody cancelled his visit.
Of course there was walk-in service – you had to come early morning and wait – sometimes only an hour, sometimes three and a half… But the point is – each time I’ve heard more less the same and almost each we were advised – get paracetamol. So I prefer to pay and receive fast and good service from competent doctor.
Perhaps GP rates could be regulated or standardized somehow, perhaps they should be lower (I’m paying 30 quid each visit for example) – but they definitely should be in place.
Regards,
Slawek
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free GP home visits for the over 50′s why? what a ridiculous and somewhat patronising idea I am in my 50′s. So GP’s would now have to waste their time on a home visit to any 50yo hypochondriac in the Island now how would this be mananaged? thanks but I still conider myself fit and able enough to get to a surgery.
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Marx – The quality of GP’s here is outstanding due in no small part to the significant fee” I find it difficult to believe that.
Really, you don’t think excellent wages attracts top quality professionals, look at finance where top class expertise is bought in.
“Finally, you mention “customer service” well hang on, I thought they’re patients, not customers?”
The ethic remains whatever you call them, those recieving a service from professionals in any field are entitled to the best service available. It’s not as if it’s free, I’ve been paying for it with social security contributions for the past 30 years.
Back on point I’m not knocking those who work at the sharp end in the health service, they are keeping me alive and I’m very grateful.I’m just saying that there could be an improvement in service at a nominal cost if some common practices were adopted.
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Is it only me who is struck by the irony of the proposal of a new hospital, free GP visits for over 50′s etc appearing alongside the news that the Brig-y-Don Children’s home will close this autumn due to lack of available funding.
Seems strange to me.
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Concerned? I am sure Anne Pryke is rearing to go, but for her to have managed to assimilate a £150 million budget within just a few days is staggering. In my experience it takes a good six months to get a real grip on a new job; lean to walk before you run.
Nevertheless, a total overhaul of the health service is no bad thing; it is just the ‘me to brigade’ chasing the spending pot which will cause the problems.
Keith (5) you are spot on.
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Keith (comment no 4) Having lived in England now for three years I have never waited ten days to see a doctor!I can always get an appointment on the same day (if really essential)or booking for the following day is usually available.My surgery also offers the service whereby you can ask for a doctor to call you back (within an hour or so) if you simply want advice or reassurance which is brilliant for say mothers of small children who could find it difficult to get to the surgery.The doctors are certainly all English speaking too!!After having to pay nearly £30 to see a doctor in Jersey just to renew a prescrition I find it an excellent FREE service to be honest!
I have also had to use the hospital for some tests on one occasion and was seen exactly at the specified time (I was almost in shock at this!)So I think we can assume that the health service differs in various parts of the country and is certainly not as Keith describes in all parts!
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New hospital up at Overdale site, Sell old hospital site to development for houseing. Work for locals for around 3 years. Sites already in public ownership. Done.
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Michael,
Ambulance and vehicle access to Overdale lousy, site not level, do you leave an A & E unit in town? Another green space lost. Are you sure?
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Here we go, in the top job a week and already looking to spend millions, no doubt it will be 70% offices and 30% actual hospital, more money than sense and dont forget the consultants fees as well
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Doddy Access to Overdale could be improved. Another half a mile for A & E is not a big problem in a small island. Overdale site would be a fantastic place to convalesce. St Saviours hospital could be moved up there as well, freeing up another site. Green spaces are great if people can access and enjoy them, fancy a walk around Overdale as it is now? dont think so…
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Some of you dont have a clue how lucky you are on that Island. How can you complain about paying the measly fee to visit the doctor, practically nothing on a prescription and an approximate wait of 4 hours in A&E! Lets put it this way, here we pay €60 to see the doctor who doesnt give you the time of day. We pay a minimum of €17 for a prescription and the average wait in A&E is 14 hours. Get a grip and start appreciating what you have instead of complaining about nothing. As For Anne Pryke, i doubt very much she has just decided in the past week what needs to be done. She has to start somewhere and you should be relived that someone who has such extensive knowledge is in charge.
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Re GP fees, most GPs reduce or waive their charges for the least well off.
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How often does one go to a doctor just to have ones own diagnoses confirmed, have a prescription issued for a drug one knows will cure the problem, and then have to pay for the visit.
We have a plethora of highly trained chemists in Jersey whos services remain largely untapped. Why not allow chemists to issue “some” prescription drugs” as happens in other countries, or are our doctors making too much money telling us when we have a common cold.
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Couldnt agree with comment number seven more.
The hospital is a disgrace. There is a severe lack of communication,for example my father was taken from one floor to another and given the same medication twice after a “risky” operation.
The food on offer of burger and chips including half a slice of white bread leaves a lot to be desired to.
I hardly thing burger and chips qualifies as suitable to get patients back to health.
Im not suprised the island is rich if its serving up burger & chips to the poor folk who have already been through a tough time!
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Totally agree with Keith on No.4 comment.
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Keith, not sure which area of the UK you live,however we can ring our surgery before 11 am A Dr will ring you back, if he feels it is an emergency you will get an appointment the same day to see a doctor. If it is something he/she can diagnose over the phone he/she will leave a prescription for you to pick up if necessary. A service that works.
Drs will make home visits if you are unable or too sick to attend the surgery. Consultant appointments for serious conditions are quick and efficient.
I really get annoyed when the National Health Service is slated by people. We have one of the finest services in the world and your certainly not charged, means tested, or have to have private insurance. It is the envy of many nations.
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A 2 tier health system is a negative step. Better to improve the public sector first.
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Well said Hannah (no 24) exactly my experience where I now live in England.Some who live in the UK may have a poor service but it is not the same everywhere. To JC (NO 23) I assume you live in a part of the UK that is not well served by the NHS?
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PJG, unfortunately I was recently witness to one such highly-qualified chemist telling a ‘patient’ that ‘you could use a month to come off your medication gradually, that would probably be good for you’.
This was a drug that has had documentaries on it due to a high suicide rate during withdrawal, it is considered more dangerous than heroin withdrawal.
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Hannah #24, totally agree also. My GP’s surgery also ran educational clinics to improve their patient’s self-care and cut the number of appointment requests from people with colds and flu etc. If need be you could get a home visit or an appointment same day, longest I ever waited for a normal appointment was 3 days. They also worked with the local pharmacies to make it as convenient as possible for people to pick up their prescriptions and ran drop-in clinics there for blood sugar, blood pressure checks etc.
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As a new minister,Deputy Pryke voted against changes to suspension processes,despite having the largest number of employees in her department.I had high hopes but the deal will be for her to follow the strategy dictated by Chief Officers.Sadly all too weak to combat incompetent management.
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I Agree the uk is like a postcode lottery in the NHS,When my mum was ill ,she was taken into the cancer wards to see a consultant,she was there for a week ,still couldnt get hold of one,let her out,without notifying family,she also had to sit 6hours waiting on an ambulance to take her home,this happened twiced,she was also promised a home care package of help,10 wks later we were still waiting for that help,she died,2days later letter pops through,they can fit her in now!
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No disrespect to the newly appointed Minister, but these proposals would come at a cost which would probably result in an increase in GST.
I don’t see why ‘free’ this that and the other should be handed out to those who can pay.
There are many questions to ask such as …
How many ‘no shows’ are there for Hospital appointments ?
Why no charges at A & E ? (i.e. Why did I have to wait recently,I being quite willing to pay while some drunk gets stitched up ?)
Why did our States extend the existing hospital site which has no provision for parking ? (i.e. for the elderly who are being dropped off and virtually carried to the door by a relative ?)
Nothing is free – it all costs money and taxpayers have to fund these services, which must be provided in the most cost efficient manner.
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