Delays to hospital revamp 'could cost millions'

The main entrance is one of the areas set to be upgraded at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital

Delaying the modernisation of Princess Elizabeth Hospital by five years could increase the cost by more than £25m, the island's president of health and social care has said.

The development plans include a new main entrance space on three levels, additional operating theatres, and an expansion to the emergency department.

But all upcoming capital projects in Guernsey have been put on hold until a States debate this summer.

Deputy Al Brouard said delays would impact retention, recruitment and the quality of service available to islanders.

"We know that we've got demographic changes coming, they're already here now, and we need to plan for the future to make sure that we can meet those challenges.

"We have an ageing population, which is great - people will be living longer - but they will also need more interventions and more assistance and we're trying to modernise the hospital to ensure we can meet that demand."

Princess Elizabeth Hospital is the only acute hospital in Guernsey

The pausing of the island's capital projects follows the government's failure to agree on tax plans earlier this year.

Projects placed on hold include the Alderney runway, the next phase of the hospital project and the post-16 education campus.

The project's clinical director, Jan Coleman, said the new design would double the hospital's capacity and reduce waiting lists.

Ms Coleman said staff needed the hospital building to be able to "deliver the healthcare this island needs".