A&E changes are limited by contract

CHANGES to the accident and emergency service are being limited by the contract Health and Social Services holds with GPs, its minister admitted yesterday.

Deputy Mark Dorey, pictured, was speaking while being questioned about two highly critical reports on the A&E department, one by Capita and another by the College of Emergency Medicine.

He was accused by Deputy Mike Hadley of contradicting a statement by the department earlier this week, which said 'excellent working relations' between HSSD and the GPs meant 'contractual requirements are not presenting insurmountable barriers to change'.

Deputy Dorey distanced himself from comments made by Deputy Hadley, who asked whether the island was being held to ransom by the Primary Care Company Ltd, which holds the contract with HSSD to provide GPs for the A&E department at the PEH.