Jersey Strategic Plan: Retiring doctors may not be replaced

Jersey's Chief Minister has highlighted six priorities in the Strategic Plan

Jersey hospital doctors due to retire in the next seven years may not be replaced if the island's draft Strategic Plan goes ahead.

Changing the health service is among the priorities in the plan.

Others include tackling unemployment, managing population growth, housing reform and long-term planning.

Health is facing particular pressure with an ageing population, and the plan looks at whether more people should be treated in their homes.

A recent report by KPMG highlighted the approaching lack of hospital doctors because more than half of them are due to retire in the next seven years.

It suggested bringing specialists in when needed, and flying patients out of the island for operations rather than employing lots of new doctors.

Regarding housing, the waiting list for States homes has almost doubled in the last six years, but under-investment means nearly 30% of homes would fail the UK's decent homes standard.

'Strong economy'

In deciding the strategic Plan for the next three years, the Council of Ministers will also look at pensions, encouraging more people to get a third private pension in addition to State and occupational ones.

Senator Ian Gorst, said: "We will also continue to provide the wide range of public services that islanders need - benefits, pensions and suppliers will be paid; taxes will be collected, streets cleaned and public order maintained through our criminal justice system.

"Our emergency services, harbours and airport will operate as usual and our waste will be collected.

"A strong economy is essential if we are to continue delivering high quality public services.

"We also need to prepare for a number of major challenges, such as the impact of an ageing population."

Islanders are being invited to take part in a consultation on the Strategic Plan which will finish on 1 March.