Health minister publishes Jersey Care Model review

The health minister paused the Jersey Care Model pending a review when she was appointed

Jersey's health minister has published her review into the Jersey Care Model (JCM).

Following the review, the JCM as a term and programme will end, however, many of the services and projects within it will continue independently.

Deputy Karen Wilson said the proposals would now be audited regularly.

The health minister said 21 of the 31 services under the JCM would carry on as they were.

She said these services "play a large part" in helping to transform the island's health and care system.

A further nine services will be adapted to ensure they support her ministerial priority to deliver safe, high-quality patient-centred care.

The health minister decided the Supportive Services project would be stopped, as a similar piece of work is already being undertaken.

Ms Wilson paused the JCM on becoming health minister, so she could review the programme and understand what it was intended to achieve and what it had accomplished to date.

She also wanted to review the programme's funding, to see if it still aligned with what was agreed by the States Assembly in 2020.

'Strong public criticism'

Ms Wilson said it was apparent when she stood for election there was "strong public criticism" of the Jersey Care Model, which she said stemmed from "confusion about what the programme was and why it was needed, concerns about cost, and questions about how the changes would benefit islanders".

She said: "On becoming minister, I wanted to investigate these concerns to make sure that what was being introduced would help provide Jersey with high-quality health and care services.

"What I've found is that the majority of services will play a large part in helping to transform our health and care system.

"However, from this review alone I cannot be assured that the financial assumptions made in the original JCM business case will be realised.

"As such, I have asked for a more formal evaluation of each service to assure ministers, the States Assembly, and the public that their delivery is in line with anticipated financial and non-financial outcomes."

Ms Wilson said going forward, each project should be considered "on its own merit as a service development, rather than as part of a model".

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