A PARTNERSHIP board is to be established for the Island’s healthcare sector following a vote in the States Assembly.
Health Minister Tom Binet had proposed establishing the Health and Care Partnership Board to sit alongside the existing Health and Community Services Advisory Board, with the annual cost of £70,000 to be paid for using funds already set aside for health governance.
Deputy Binet was supported by the Assembly by 33 votes to seven – with five Members abstaining – over the creation of the partnership board, incorporating a wide range of bodies involved in healthcare, while also gaining unanimous support for his proposal that the advisory board continue to operate following a trial period.
Deputy Jonathan Renouf attempted to put the brakes on the Health Minister’s move by proposing a “reference back” to Scrutiny which would have required Deputy Binet to provide more clarity on the partnership board’s remit, the resources required and how members would be selected. But the St Brelade representative’s move was defeated by 35 votes to 11.
The debate then moved on to an amendment by the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel that would have seen the partnership board’s creation to a trial period.
Panel chair Deputy Louise Doublet described the proposal trial as a “balanced and reasonable” option which was based on evidence. She compared the trial period to the 12-month probationary period for newly-qualified teachers and recruits to the police force.
Deputy Malcolm Ferey said Scrutiny’s proposed 18-month trial would breed a lack of confidence in the partnership board, creating the impression of the body having an uncertain future.
Concerns about the board’s “extraordinarily broad” terms of reference were raised by Deputy Philip Bailhache, who said he also doubted how effective a body with up to 21 members would be.
The Scrutiny amendment was defeated by 30 votes to 16.
