Channel Islands Co-operative Medical Care under threat in Jersey

Jobs are at risk after the Channel Islands Co-operative Society announced a strategic review of Co-Op Medical Care in Jersey.

The company confirmed 25 jobs are at risk as a consultation gets underway on the future of that side of the business, with Chief Operating Officer Mark Cox saying it is not sustainable in its current form.

He says the five-year plan rolled out for the company's medical offer has 'not come to fruition' and it has been making losses for the company since it began in 2014 - describing the returns as 'some way off' the projections set.

Channel Islands Co-operative Society currently has around 8,000 registered patients, 5,500 of which are considered to be regular, 'active' users of its services. Mr Cox says there will be no immediate changes for them.

The financial model on which the business was based allowed it to offer healthcare at a lower cost to islanders while allowing them to receive a dividend on GP appointment payments - however, the company did not manage to register as many patients as it needed to sustain it.

The company employs six GPs at its surgeries in St Clements, St Helier and St Peter but Mr Cox says this would have to increase 'significantly' to make the business sustainable and profitable. He says recruitment has been one of the issues it has faced.

Mark Cox says the business is keen to explore all options for medical care going forward and 'nothing has been taken off the table'.

The company will make a decision on the future of its three practices by late Spring.

A joint statement was issued by Dr Adrian Norton, the Medical Director of Primary Care for Health and Community Services, and Members of the Primary Care Body.

It said the news stressed the need for the Jersey Care Model to help islanders on low incomes to access healthcare.