WPA row's illuminating in a bad way
THE ongoing war of words between the Health and Social Services Department and the health insurer WPA has provided a not altogether reassuring insight into the way the public sector interacts with the commercial world - and of the tensions within HSSD's political board.
THE ongoing war of words between the Health and Social Services Department and the health insurer WPA has provided a not altogether reassuring insight into the way the public sector interacts with the commercial world - and of the tensions within HSSD's political board.
WPA is a well-respected insurer specialising in providing healthcare and while it operates on a not-for-profit basis it has to balance projected income from clients against the expected costs of paying for their treatment.
Finding out late in the year that 2010 rates at the PEH are going up by nearly one quarter is clearly a blow, especially for those who have to pay increased premiums. It is right to press for better terms.
After all, HSSD has some questions to answer. If Guernsey's charges are so out of step with the UK's, why did the department let that happen? Having done so, what consideration did it give to phasing in a new structure over a number of years?
From what this newspaper can glean - HSSD is refusing to discuss the matter and misleadingly claims that to do so might be legally prejudicial - its senior staff and minister and deputy minister believe WPA has a point, which is why a discounted Victoria Wing day rate was offered.
They must have felt strongly on the point because despite the board as a whole ruling out any deals, a so-called quartet meeting of the two top politicos and two top civil servants authorised the department's finance director and his deputy to visit WPA at its West Country headquarters to continue negotiations.
That was taken back to a surprised board - what's to misunderstand about no deals? - but the members had to vote on three separate occasions before WPA was finally told that the massive increases would stand.
Not for the first time, HSSD's judgments look flawed and its grip shaky. That's unfortunate, not least because patients do better when they have confidence in their surroundings.
Whatever the details, islanders will have an uneasy feeling that everyone - WPA members, patients and taxpayers - has lost out.
