24 July 2009
I am very aware that there has been considerable public concern over some of the aspects of the draft Business Plan for 2010. This is particularly the case for some of the proposed cuts in the Health and Social Services budget and the impact they may have on services provided by other organisations.
I understand this concern, but we must remember that my department has secured an extra £9.7 million for urgent, front line services. That money will be used to fund the Williamson plan for children’s services, to fill the funding gap left by the ending of the UK Reciprocal Health Agreement, to fund UK placements for vulnerable children and to pay for specialist UK treatment.
It is costing more every year just to maintain the core services, including nurse staffing levels, drugs, emergency medicine, A&E, child protection and support for those most at risk. But the Strategic Plan makes it clear that any additional spending must be offset by savings, service reductions or extra income. Every department has had to find savings from within its budget and HSS is no different. We have been given a substantial funding boost, but we must still prioritise our services to meet remaining spending pressures.
These cuts are being proposed in order to save £2 million, which is the sum needed in 2010 to make necessary investments in nursing and emergency services (including Accident and Emergency) at the General Hospital. But I do realise the impact some of these proposals would have, and it is for that reason that I am initiating a review of the savings proposals.
I will be going through the prioritisation process with the Chief Minister and members of my department’s Senior Management Team (which includes in its membership clinical advisors and other senior health and social care professionals). We will determine whether or not there are other, better options available. This will not be an easy task, but I believe it is necessary to ensure all options have been explored before the Business Plan is debated by the States in September.
I will report back to members when this process is completed, which I hope will be by the end of August.
-ends-
Notes to Editors:
1. If you want any more information or if you have any queries about the Business Plan, please call the Communications Unit on 440430 and we will get an answer promptly.
Clarification on some of the proposals: -
• Day centres which are supported by the Patient Transfer Service were never earmarked for closure
• The intention for the Patient Transfer Service is to move to an element of User Pays, and not to end the service
• The intention for Help-2-Quit is to transfer it to a User Pays service accessed through GPs, not to end the service.
gov.je