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The relocation of the island's main rehabilitation ward to a St Helier care home "will have no impact" on the elderly residents already living there, the Constable has reassured.
The Government confirmed last month that services provided by Samarès Ward at Overdale would be moving to St Ewolds, and a lease for a period of up to nine years – with a break clause after six – was signed yesterday.
The care home was recently refurbished by the Parish of St Helier and further minor works will be carried out before patients begin moving in in the coming months.
Pictured: St Ewold’s Residential Care Home has recently been refurbished by the Parish of St Helier.
The relocation is part of the wider plan to build new health facilities across the island – with demolition of Overdale's current outpatient facilities underway to make way for a new acute hospital, which includes A&E.
The site is expected to be fully cleared by the end of the year, with construction starting in 2025. All buildings on the site except Westmount Centre have been vacated, with most services moving to the Enid Quenault Health and Wellbeing Centre at the former Les Quennevais School.
Rehabilitation services will eventually be provided from what the government has described as a new 'Health Village' in St Saviour.
Health Minister Tom Binet said current staff at Samarès Ward had visited the new facility and stroke charities had been consulted. He said that all were "supportive of the new centre".
Pictured: The majority of Overdale services have already been moved to the Enid Quenault Health and Wellbeing Centre at the former Les Quennevais School.
Connetable of St Helier, Constable Simon Crowcroft, said the Parish was “delighted to be able to accommodate the provision of such an important service at St Ewold’s" in the meantime.
"This is an example of true partnership working between the Parish and the Government of Jersey. When Samarès Ward relocates to St Ewold’s, it will occupy the area where Avranches Nursery was previously located and will have no impact on the running of the Care Home. We look forward to welcoming rehabilitation services to the facility," he said.
Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan, who previously campaigned to stop Samarès Ward from being relocated to the General Hospital alongside the then-Senator Steve Pallett, said he was "delighted that we have found a new location for this very important service and, having viewed it myself, I am very impressed."
"I would like to thank my predecessor Deputy Tom Binet for his work in progressing this great opportunity," he added.
Pictured top: The signing of the lease between Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan (centre) and St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft (right). (Government of Jersey)
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