‘SERIOUS problems’ around the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatology patients may extend into other areas of healthcare, the Health Minister has admitted.
Deputy Karen Wilson was speaking after the Health Department announced that it had concluded an audit of the records of rheumatology patients and would now be extending the investigation to cover a wider group of Islanders.
The review by the Royal College of Physicians covered 341 patients who were prescribed a group of drugs known as ‘biologics’ in the period before January 2022.
Preliminary findings indicate that over half of these patients did not meet the accepted criteria for starting biologic therapy. It was also found that for three out of ten patients who were first diagnosed with a rheumatological condition in Jersey, there was insufficient evidence to confirm the accuracy of their diagnosis.
Deputy Wilson said: ‘The initial findings from this audit highlight some serious problems in the rheumatology service and it is clear these underlying issues may extend into other parts of Health.
‘As I have said previously – and as this audit indicates – we have fallen behind “best practice” in a number of areas and we now need to redouble our efforts to strengthen clinical governance and quality of care.’
Medical director Patrick Armstrong said the wider review would start immediately, with patients contacted directly should they need to be seen in person. In the meantime, patients should continue to take their medication as prescribed and attend their hospital and doctor appointments as normal, he added.
More information can be obtained from the patient liaison staff by emailing pals@health.gov.je or by phoning 443515.
