Deputy Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham told the States Assembly that ‘one last sweep’ of the Island is being carried out to check whether any potential sites for the new hospital have been missed.
In a statement before the States Assembly, Senator Farnham, who has political responsibility for the project, updated Members on progress of the troubled project, including the appointment of a citizens’ panel, made up of members of the public, to provide input into the decision process.
Last year £27 million had to be written off the cost of the Hospital project following a series of u-turns and mishaps, including indecision over where the hospital should be built.
‘Islanders clearly care deeply about their new hospital and more than 300 people responded to the call for sites. 154 offered to be on the citizens’ panel,’ said Senator Farnham.
‘I know they came forward because they are thinking about their families’ futures and looking ahead to their own medical requirements and I would like to thank them all.’
He added that the citizens’ panel would meet over the next six to eight weeks to carry out its work and a shortlist of three potential sites would be produced in April, with a preferred site lodged for debate no later than September.
Updating Members on the work of the project team, Senator Farnham said: ‘We have recruited Mace – an internationally-renowned project management company – who have already made a significant impact on the rate of progress.
‘We have reached the final stage of our search for a design and delivery partner. The Chief Minister and I have met the three bidders – all have excellent credentials, very valid experience and the capability not just to deliver us a new hospital – but a fantastic hospital, the hospital Jersey people deserve.
‘And we have carried out one last sweep of the Island to double-check there are no potential sites that we might have overlooked.’
An Our Hospital Project spokesperson added: ‘As announced by Senator Lyndon Farnham to the States this afternoon, three potential contractors are involved in the early stages of the tendering process to build Jersey’s new hospital. As part of that complex and commercially sensitive process, all of the potential delivery partners have visited Jersey, and representatives from the Our Hospital project team have, and are, visiting examples of their work across the UK and Europe.
‘Once a delivery partner has been appointed in April, a full breakdown and timeline of the tendering process will be revealed. Until then, no further comment can be made as the tendering process is still live.’
