Guernsey Press

A juggle of individuals' priorities

THE difficulties in prioritising workloads, particularly when you are serving three ‘masters’, is laid bare in the latest iteration of the States’ Government Work Plan.

Published

The States have to juggle the expectations of the voting public, their own desires as a government to do what they think best to fulfil those aims, and resource constraints.

The pressures outlined on most people's top priority – health – are huge, wide-ranging, and in competition, as recognised by Policy & Resources.

There will be considerable focus on the Health & Social Care's plans to review the legal status of cannabis – quite apart from an inevitable clash with Home Affairs – and P&R has left it to members to decide its priority.

But also among policy matters, Health is resourcing a review of primary care, has a part in amending the Children Law, and reviewing the efficacy of NICE drugs and Bailiwick Social Prescribing, all of which are important to some of the community at least.

Meanwhile, operationally, it has to get operation waiting lists back on track, deal with patients blocking beds in hospital because there are no beds in the care sector, and stay aware of Covid.

All individually big issues, and each a priority for someone.

In all it’s a massive challenge to tackle in just three years. Health’s priorities, and resulting delivery, will need to be kept under sharp scrutiny.