Guernsey Election 2020: Health and social care
- Published
Some medical costs for children in Guernsey are set to more than halve from September 2021.
The nearly £2m plans approved in June, external included further subsidies for GP and Emergency Department charges, as well as a free annual dental check up.
Deputies will be faced with questions over long-term funding for social care, which requires up to £25m a year more, external.
There are also questions and concerns over mental health provision in the island.
As part of our election coverage, the BBC offered all candidates a chance to comment on a key issue.
Given the variety of issues facing the next States, candidates were asked: What are your priorities for healthcare considering concerns over the costs of primary, long-term care and mental health support?
David Inglis, from The Guernsey Partnership of Independents, said: "The care we provide to the elderly in our community would be my priority.
"This would improve choice and independence and reduce the costs.
"We also need improved efficiency and new funding ideas for existing services alongside more States-funded prevention and early diagnosis to reduce people's medical costs and enable high-quality care where it is needed."
Jon Robillard said: "My number one priority is to grow the economy, which is essential for modern healthcare services that should cover everyone's mental and physical health care from the cradle to senior care.
"This will require improvements to the infrastructure, interdepartmental cooperation, and the use of private/charitable organisations."
Tony Walkington said: "The hospital, medical and mental care should be separately ring fenced financially (Guernsey Health) from central finances.
"The social visitors, carers and elderly in long-term care should be financed from social security payments.
"This would give control of their finances plus enough income to provide the services needed.
The Alliance Party said: "Costs of primary care need to be graded to help the JAM sector (just about managing).
"Mental health expenditure needs to be reassigned (currently uses too much police resource, not specialist resource).
"Long-term care, elderly medical care, pensions all need to be included in a financing "plan for Guernsey".
"We then can identify the cost of the States "must haves" (not nice to haves). We then know what growth we need in the economy and what shape that growth needs."
John Dyke said: "We need to review our provision of diagnostic equipment and the contracts for the provision of secondary care.
"We need to settle a deal with the nurses in terms of pay, conditions and training. The current turnover leads to sub optimal care and excessive use of agency nurses.
"We need to improve on-island mental healthcare."
Adam Martel said: "Full review of existing services and associated costs.
"More options to debate to find solutions to long-term care costs (aiming not to take bonds against properties).
"Push for a new mental health and well-being centre, where all islanders can meet and support each other and talk openly about their mental health issues/experiences."
Elis Bebb said: "We should change the access criteria for the long-term care fund to afford better support for carers allowing people to stay home for longer and reducing the need on our nursing homes.
"We should re-evaluate the primary care subsidy in favour of the elderly and improve access to a primary mental healthcare."
Tina Bury, from The Guernsey Partnership of Independents, said: "Education is needed to support prevention and early detection. I'd like to see 'social prescribing' widely available. I'm keen to see healthcare providers work together.
"The Partnership of Purpose needs to be pushed forward with our Covid-19 recovery and future resilience front of mind.
"Mental health services seem to be under resourced and need a review."
The BBC also offered the opportunity to answer this question to Susan Aldwell, Shane Langlois (The Guernsey Partnership of Independents), Sian Jones, Steven Wall, David De Lisle and Rhian Tooley (The Guernsey Partnership of Independents).
The other key issues we've spoken to candidates on include:
- Published4 September 2020
