Jersey's future hospital: which site is best?

A new report reviewing the location of the future Jersey Hospital has been released by the Hospital Policy Development Board.

Yesterday Constable Chris Taylor presented his findings, which are due to be debated by the Council of Ministers and States Assembly at the beginning of next year.

The States Assembly previously made the decision to build a new hospital on the existing site on Gloucester Street but the Hospital Policy Development Board was established to review the evidence that supported that decision.

The review has now been completed and shows the following:

Time-frame and finance

The report says the future hospital can and will be delivered by 2028.

But it also says the finished article will take 6 months longer than expected and more delays are inevitable.

Some of the money that has already been spent can be transferred to new plans, according to the report.

Location

The report has brought the Waterfront and Overdale sites back under consideration.

The Waterfront was initially removed from consideration because some said the land was too profitable and too valuable to be used.

Constable Taylor responded to this saying nothing should be more valuable than health.

People's Park was a popular choice among hospital staff in a recent survey.

A third of the 22% who responded voted for the site but this was discarded after concerns over its size and fears that it is not 'future-proofed'.

Facilities

The report found that mental health facilities should have been addressed in early stages of this project.

Reaction

The Future Hospital Board were shown the report yesterday and they say they are very concerned about the hospital's immediate future.

The Health Minister has split from the board and has disagreed on many of the findings.

He issued this statement: