High GP and dentist's costs next on Social Security agenda

Friday 29 August 2014

The cost of GP and dental services is being reviewed by Social Security to improve access for young people and the elderly, says outgoing minister Francis Le Gresley.

The competition regulator said that they would be looking into the issue in February, and the head of the GP's association called at the time for the States to increase subsidies to reduce the costs to the public. The Social Security and Health departments are now looking at the issue to see what they can do.

In the Social Security department’s annual report for 2013, they revealed that spending on pensions and benefits rose to £333 million last year. Of that money, £154 million went to pensioner households, £75 million went on Income Support, £27 million went on subsidising GP visits and prescriptions, and £13 million went on short-term sickness benefits.

In his report, Senator Le Gresley – who is stepping down from the States in the October elections – said that after a busy few years at the department with work on the benefit systems, discrimination legislation and long-term care completed, work was being done to improve access to healthcare.

He said: “Work was also initiated to review various provisions for GP and dental services in the Island, and officers are committed to work alongside colleagues in Health and Social Services to address this important area.

“I’m confident that this collaboration will lead to improvements in access to primary care services, particularly for children and older residents.”

The report also showed that a new hospitality training programme in 2013 helped to create 268 jobs for unemployed Islanders, and that the debut JobsFest created 109 paid positions. Over the course of the year the Back to Work scheme helped unemployed people into 1,818 paid jobs, up from 1,326 the previous year.