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The Health Department has been denied millions in funding which was needed to to tackle a series of ailments – including RAAC, asbestos and fire risks – that have been plaguing the General Hospital, it has emerged.
Health Minister Tom Binet revealed that HCS Estates’ funding application for the next two years had been rejected, saying the move was a “risk to the island’s healthcare system”.
Last September, a consultant raised concerns that not enough was being spent on the "structurally deteriorating" General Hospital after flooding put a clinic room out of action.
That same consultant, now retired, has condemned the decision to deny funding, calling it "very short-sighted" and urging politicians to "look beyond their egos, and start thinking about the future healthcare of islanders".
HCS Estates had requested £5 million for 2026 and another £5 million in 2027, Deputy Binet said in the letter, which was not granted by the latest central government finance team review.
An estimated £5 million is being spent on hospital maintenance and refurbishment this year, while £2,595,000 was approved for 2025.
Pictured: the Hospital itself has needed some treatment after a series of maintenance issues were highlighted in reviews.
The state of the current Health estate has been a contentious issue during the continuing wait for a new hospital, with the Health Services Improvements Programme has been in place since 2019 after a damning 'Six Facet Condition Survey' of the existing hospital site which found a series of issues.
The £30,000 Government review of the 'Our Hospital Project' – which recommended scrapping the Overdale project in favour of a multi-site approach – dedicated an entire section explaining in detail the challenges facing the Jersey General Hospital.
More than 5,500 unexpected 'ailments' were identified in the year leading up the review's publication in November 2022, including asbestos, fire risks, sewage struggles, and building fabric issues.
In March 2023, the Health Minister revealed more details of work to maintain the ageing General Hospital while new facilities are developed – at a cost of £5 million per year.
Former Health Minister Karen Wilson said that the annual £5 million cost would address the most urgent building and infrastructure maintenance needs, as well as infection-control issues, until new health facilities were delivered.
But spending on maintaining the island's ageing health facilities went over budget by £1.4 million last year due to the volume of "pressing" issues, it emerged in January.
Pictured: Deputy Tom Binet is the Health Minister.
In a recently-published letter to a panel of politicians tasked with scrutinising the running and maintenance of the hospital, the Health Minister reacted strongly to the central government finance team's decision to turn off this funding tap.
He said the move was "worth noting", adding: "This is a risk to the islands healthcare system and will add further risk to the management of the existing hospital facilities."
Dr David Ng, who has previously been vocal about the state of the hospital while working as a consultant, said he did not understand the decision.
"It is a very short-sighted decision given the hospital is in desperate need of modernising, and of course, we need a new hospital," he said.
He added: "If maintenance is stopped due to this funding refusal, the consequence would be permanent ward closure due to safety concerns from RAAC weakness and risk of structural collapse."
Pictured: Dr Ng recently retired from being a consultant at the General Hospital.
Dr Ng warned about the implications of ward closures, which include a loss of bed capacity, cancelled operating lists, "bed blocking" due to a lack of community care places and staff, and longer Emergency Department wait times.
He continued: "The older the hospital building becomes, the harder it will be to keep it open safely which will affect working capacity, increase waiting lists, and further undermine staff morale and recruitment."
On "getting on with" the new Hospital construction, he urged politicians to "look beyond their egos, and start thinking about the future healthcare of islanders".
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