HSC needs a serious health check
VARIOUS threads to pull from Health and Social Care’s appearance before the Scrutiny Management Committee but many of them lead to the same unravellings – health services in Guernsey may not be in intensive care, but they are seriously struggling.
HSC president Al Brouard opened proceedings by going on the front foot, and explaining the breadth of the committee’s functions – and the fact that its services are going on, 24/7, every day of the year. Leaving precious little time to smell the roses, coffee or antiseptic.
It was clear that the committee’s difficulties appear to revolve largely around costs, recruitment, and accommodation. Issues which are largely out of its control, certainly at present.
As a result, the committee, from physicians to politicians, are applying sticking plasters all over the place to keep things running. The end result is acceptable services – but some sub-optimal – at rapidly-rising and unacceptable costs.
Undoubtedly matters have deteriorated as a result of Brexit and Covid. But what is becoming clear is that the current position of some of our health services is becoming borderline sustainable in terms of staffing and cost. Use of agency staff is endemic and cannot continue unless we keep writing big cheques.
The answer won’t just be building some staff accommodation on a field at the PEH.
HSC was at pains to say that the much-vaunted Partnership of Purpose is still breathing, but it doesn’t look to be a patch on where it was hoped it would be.
Which leaves the feeling that something has to change in health services. The 3% ‘health’ (income) tax proposed and immediately dismissed by P&R now looks as if it would have some legs – but would it raise enough?
More challengingly, we accept that the health model as it stands is broken, and either the Partnership of Purpose is accelerated, or some other reassessment of our model for healthcare has to be pursued.