THE Jersey Court of Appeal has quashed a decision by Health to refuse to pay for special therapeutic care in the UK for a vulnerable child.
This week the Deputy Bailiff, Michael Birt, and English QCs Michael Beloff and John Martin overturned a ruling given by the Bailiff, Sir Philip Bailhache, earlier this year.
Sir Philip had refused to quash former Health Minister Ben Shenton’s decision not to fund specialist care in the United Kingdom for helpless children in Jersey.
At that time Senator Shenton said there was not enough money in the budget. But on Wednesday the Court of Appeal ordered the minister to reconsider his decision in the case of one child. The court did not quash the minister’s decisions on the other children, as he has already agreed to reconsider those decisions.
Law firm Hanson Renouf, who sought the judicial review of the minister’s decision, are now urging Health Minister Jim Perchard to agree to take up the UK placements.
• Picture: Advocate Tim Hanson
