01 September 2022
The Government of Jersey is today publishing the scope and process for the review into the Our Hospital Project. This follows significant work by the Minister for Infrastructure and officers, including site visits to the current General Hospital.
The review is part of the Chief Minister’s 100 Day Actions, and it will report back to the States Assembly by 20 October 2022.
Minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Tom Binet, has been tasked with over-seeing an evidence-based review and will advise the States Assembly on whether changes can be made to the Our Hospital Project to deliver a more affordable and appropriate alternative.
A new site assessment process is not part of the review, as this would not deliver a new hospital within the required timescales. Neither will it seek to re-run or critique decision-making of the project to date.
Deputy Binet will be supported by a Principal Expert Adviser with extensive experience of large-scale capital projects in health and care. An announcement on this appointment will follow shortly.
The review team will also include the Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Karen Wilson and Assistant Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Rose Binet.
The team will draw on evidence from stakeholders and subject matter experts. Project advice will be provided by Acting Project Director, Jessica Hardwick, a long-time Jersey resident – who has worked for the Government of Jersey for over 12 years – and replaces the previous UK-based Interim Project Director; and operational advice will be provided by Associate Managing Director of Health and Community Services, Michelle West.
The review will:
- Assess the affordability of the current project,
- Consider the state of the existing hospital and associated heath and care facilities,
- Consider measures currently being undertaken to improve and transform Jersey’s health service during this period,
- Examine various options from a scope, operational efficiency, cost, programme, and local economic impacts perspective, including, but not limited to all existing sites, which include Overdale site; Gloucester Street site, including adjacent sites, such as Kensington Place; opportunities for a longer-term phased development at Overdale or Gloucester Street; and the opportunity to use secondary sites to complement the delivery of health and care from a primary hospital location.
To ensure these main sites remain within scope, final arrangements are being made to issue the Planning permit for the Overdale site and, in addition, the current scheme at Kensington Place will stop, with the transfer of this site to Government in due course.
Minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Tom Binet, said: “The case for new hospital facilities has been established and accepted by the public. The complexity of the approach, requirements, timescale for delivery, cost and financing has meant that the project has seen a number of iterations, none of which have achieved the construction milestone of a modern, affordable, value for money, fit for purpose, and efficient hospital for Jersey.”
The Chief Minister, Deputy Kristina Moore, said: “This is an important milestone in the Our Hospital Project and the 100 Day Actions. Care will be taken to ensure that the development incorporates provision of delivery space for an appropriate range of health and care service for Jersey, contributes to a ‘whole system’ of healthcare, addresses future care needs, is aligned to evidence-based models of care, and includes opportunities for innovation and digital methods of care delivery.”
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