Hospital staff win vote on future site

Tuesday 04 September 2018

Doctors, nurses and surgeons have been promised a vote on the future hospital site after a successful campaign by a former long-term patient aiming to “give something back” to those that helped him.

Dave Cabeldu spearheaded a petition urging the States to allow hospital staff to ballot on whether they supported proposals to build on the current site.

As a frequent in-patient, he said he had made the decision to launch the petition after being perturbed by conversations with staff who said they felt “gagged” from speaking out against the plans and forced into backing the “official line."

Mr Cabeldu’s efforts were supported by colorectal surgeon Dr Miklos Kassai, who said he feared that failing to listen to calls to build elsewhere could lead to a “mass exodus” of staff and endanger the recovery of patients by forcing them to put up with noise and dust from construction.

Pictured: Consultant Miklos Kassai (left) spoke in favour of Mr Cabeldu's (right) idea.

In under two weeks, the petition gathered over 1,000 signatures from islanders – enough to warrant a response from the Health Minister.

But now it seems that success has come even sooner: Constable Chris Taylor, the Assistant Chief Minister, this afternoon pledged to give hospital workers a crucial say on the project. At this stage, however, it remains unclear what weight the opinions they express will carry in terms of deciding the new location.

The vote, Mr Cabeldu said, will staff to express their opinion “in complete confidence” without fear of repercussions.

“We have been contacted by the Assistant Chief Minister, Constable Chris Taylor, who has confirmed that every member of the General Hospital staff will be balloted very soon… as to whether they think the new hospital should be built on the present site or not. Other questions will also be asked," he commented

Pictured: Assistant Minister Chris Taylor has now pledged a vote on the future hospital plans for staff..

“Whatever the outcome, the petition has served to concentrate minds and move things along ahead of a Planning decision which is not too far away.

“We would like to thank all staff who spoke in support and voiced their concerns to the media, and hope that in the end common sense will prevail."