Four HSC sites to close in plans for community hub

Raymond Falla House was earmarked for a community health hub in 2017

Four Health and Social Care Committee (HSC) sites in Guernsey could be vacated as Raymond Falla House in St Martin's is planned for transformation into a community health hub.

At a States Assembly meeting, HSC President George Oswald said Raymond Falla House would be used to "co-locate multiple community services for children and families onto a single site."

Deputy John Gollop questioned whether the project to build the new hub could be delivered before 2028.

Oswald said it was not possible to confirm a timeline for the project.

Subject to funding and approval, the new hub would allow the exit of Lukis House, Swissville, Perruque House and Le Carrefour, the States said.

It said the proposed project would deliver accessible, fit for purpose and modern facilities; supporting further collaboration and partnership working.

Plans to create a new community hub at Raymond Falla House were initially developed as part of the partnership of purpose plans under deputy Heidi Soulsby's HSC Committee in 2017.

'Substantive investment required'

Oswald confirmed to the States his committee was working on detailed plans for the site which would require States approval.

"A policy letter will be brought before the Assembly seeking a support for this substantive investment," he said.

He said it would be difficult to confirm a timeline as "this will be dependent on confirmation of the preferred design, approval of the outline business case and the availability of construction partners through the tender process."

'Decrepit'

Since taking office in July, Oswald and his committee have visited a number of HSC sites in Guernsey.

"As a committee, we were really surprised by the state of derelictions, the properties from which our current staff are operating.

"I asked specifically one of the leads, how is the morale of the team that you're working with in this rather decrepit building? I'm surprised that any of them choose to carry on working for us in this state of affairs.

"We need to move on to actually make the working environment as appropriate as possible."