Minister defends 'disproportionate' health budget

Deputy Tom Binet defended the health department getting an extra £60m of funding in the government's proposed budget

Jersey's health minister has defended the government's proposed budget which, if approved, will give his department an extra £60m compared to last year.

There have been concerns over health spending with the department consistently overspending in recent years.

Deputy Tom Binet admitted he had asked ministerial colleagues for a "disproportionate increase" but said his department had previously been "underfunded".

In 2025, Health had a departmental spend of £322m. But in 2026 that will increase to £381m if the States Assembly approves the budget in December.

Binet said the extra money was justified because health costs kept increasing.

He said: "The new funding changes the mechanism, which means we are going to run a little more above inflation because health costs are moving forward much, much quicker than inflation. We've got an additional £4m for health prevention and £8m for digital which is vital."

When asked if the proposed budget had given Health a get-out-of-jail-free card because of its previous budget deficits and overspend, Binet said that was "a fair point".

He added: "I'm very grateful for Council of Ministers members who have had to sit there listening to me asking for a disproportionate increase, but I think, over the course of time, I've been able to explain the rationale.

"You can run the health service within budget but you will get a lot of complaints from people and you are going to get a poorer health service."

Deputy Inna Gardiner, the head of the Public Accounts Committee, agreed investment was needed in health but also said she was concerned that there was no health strategy or sustainable finance model.

She said: "Health is getting the single biggest increase and it might be needed.

"But for the last two years the public accounts committee and the Comptroller and Auditor General have asked what is the health strategy? How will health be delivered?

"Islanders deserve to know what they receive in health services."