Money agreed for health department restructuring

12 June 2012

The Treasury Minister, with the support of the Council of Ministers, has approved extra funding of £1,758,000 to support the Health and Social Services Department. This comes ahead of plans to re-design the service as outlined in the recently launched White Paper, 'Caring for each other, Caring for ourselves'. The money has been allocated from central contingencies held by Treasury to meet pressures that come up during the year.

This additional funding will allow the Health and Social Services Department to provide more 'intermediate care'. This is for people who do not need to be in hospital, but who need specialist care in the community. It is sometimes referred to as “step up” and “step down” care.

Increasing this kind of care will help Islanders to be looked after in their own homes and reduce time spent in hospital. These measures are designed to provide more care at home, particularly for older people, earlier than previously planned.

The money will also help the Health and Social Services Department with detailed planning for the future while also ensuring that high-quality services are available now.

The Minister for Treasury and Resources, Senator Philip Ozouf, has worked closely with the Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Anne Pryke, and supports the department’s plans for service redesign and improvement. In particular, Senator Ozouf recognises the need to allocate more funding this year so the department can start work in priority areas.

Fit for the future

Senator Ozouf said "The Council of Ministers fully supports the White Paper consultation process which is central to helping inform how our health and social services should be restructured. We recognise that regardless of the outcome of the consultation process, extra funding is needed now to help set up much needed community-based services.

"It is important that, while we need to cut costs, we also need to invest in our essential, front line services now, so they are fit for the future."

Deputy Anne Pryke added "Last year we undertook a Green Paper consultation which identified a critical need to redesign our health and social services so they would continue to be safe, sustainable and affordable.

"We have now launched a White Paper consultation, asking the public what they think about our proposed changes. Public feedback is essential to help shape future services. In the meantime we need to tackle some mounting pressures, which this injection of funding will allow us to do."

The White Paper consultation runs until Friday 20 July.