Public Accounts Committee chairwoman Deputy Inna Gardiner’s comments came after Health director general Caroline Landon told the panel the report was ‘us naked’ and could be ‘sensationalised’ by the media if it was released.
Ms Landon admitted that the ‘full performance report’ was available in other jurisdictions.
Deputy Gardiner said PAC discussed after the meeting whether the report should be made public and while they were ‘sympathetic to the Health Department’s desire to ensure data protection and make sure patients are not identifiable, there are ways to provide information which would protect patients’ privacy but still be more transparent’.
She highlighted high-level summaries of performance, which could be compared year-on-year.
Chief Minister John Le Fondré has said ‘as a principle’ the report should be released into the public domain, and he would look into the matter. He admitted that some issues surrounding privacy or information around individuals could prevent some elements being published.
In comments made to the PAC, Ms Landon said the department had held conversations about making the report public. She added that the information could be used ‘in ways that inhibit patients from accessing care, because it can be presented in a way that is sensationalised, and that is difficult’.
Group managing director for health Rob Sainsbury said it would be ‘really challenging’ to release the report in Jersey. He told the hearing: ‘In terms of putting everything out there, it feels that the information isn’t always appropriately and proportionately interpreted.’
A 2018 report from then Comptroller and Auditor General Karen McConnell on governance arrangements for health and social care concluded that the availability and scope of public reporting of performance was ‘inadequate and on occasions reporting has been inaccurate’.
She recommended that the availability and scope of public performance reporting should be extended, ‘to increase the focus on the quality and outcome of health and care services, including performances against targets’.
Current Comptroller and Auditor General Lynn Pamment is expected to produce a report on the governance arrangements for health and social care this year.
Responding to questions from the JEP as to why the report was being withheld, a Health spokesperson said: ‘The Integrated Performance Report (IPR) is a work in progress. The IPR is shared quarterly at the Health and Community Services Board, which is chaired by the Minister for Health and Social Services and is held in public.
‘The purpose of the IPR is to assist Health and Community Services in assessing our performance and progress in delivery of key indicators. Key indicators are used by many health organisations to measure performance and consistency and the focus is on people, quality, time, growth and financial performance.
‘This report helps us to build a sustainable way of delivering services in the right way, driving focus and alignment across the department. We are working with our teams to validate the data and acclimatise them to using it as a quality tool.
‘It is important to keep in mind that even though data is an essential part of how health services are measured, it can’t by itself lead to improvements in those services.
‘Improvements come from effective partnerships and working together with our patients and staff to deliver care that is responsive and focussed on patient outcomes and experience. Our aim is to provide good quality, timely data to support this process.
‘Once we have confidence in the integrity of our data we will publish the IPR and we anticipate that will be early next year.’
