Decision to charge cancer patients for emergency treatment in Guernsey reversed

Cancer patients will be seen at the Emergency Department free of charge after a controversial policy was reversed

Guernsey officials have reversed a decision to make cancer patients pay for out-of-hours emergency treatment after a community backlash.

The Committee for Health and Social Care said it reversed the policy "on an interim basis" while a review of hospital charges is completed.

The charges, introduced in May, were criticised for their potential impact on vulnerable patients.

A petition against the change attracted nearly 5,000 signatures.

Previously, patients with illnesses such as heart disease and kidney failure were charged an attendance fee as well as a treatment fee.

However, cancer patients could be seen at the Emergency Department (ED) free of charge.

The committee said the aim of the original decision was to "treat all patients fairly" and ensure "health equality for all".

But it acknowledged the "strength of feeling from the community" after the change was made.

'Inescapable truth'

The review will look at whether it is "financially achievable" to treat all patients with life-limiting illnesses in the same way.

Deputy Al Brouard, president of the committee, said: "We will now take some time to work through the issues to see if there is any way we could find the money to make ED charging fairer for all in our community.

"It is an inescapable truth, however, that the cost of doing so will likely mean we have to make a difficult decision elsewhere."

He said the committee was faced with "difficult decisions" about how to spend its allocated budget.

He added: "We understand islanders have high expectations - we do too - but we cannot afford to have it all and tough decisions lie ahead given the island's financial challenges and the structure of our health system which is neither completely free at the point of delivery, like the NHS, or fully private."

Cancer patients who have attended the ED since May can contact the States for a refund on charges attributable to their diagnosis.

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