PLANS to regulate oxygen therapy in Jersey would create an “additional tax on the third sector”, according to the chair of a local charity providing the service.
Jersey Oxygen Therapy Centre focusses on providing support and rehabilitation for people in Jersey who are living with various chronic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis, chronic pain and fatigue.
Charity chair Dr Mark Wilbourn has raised concerns about the proposed regulation of oxygen therapy in response to a review of proposals to expand the Jersey Care Commission’s remit.
Dr Wilbourn said that claims that Jersey would be “brought into line” with other British Isles jurisdictions are “factually incorrect”.
He noted that in the UK, oxygen therapy up to a certain pressure is exempt from the Care Quality Commission’s oversight – meaning the Jersey proposals would impose stricter rules than elsewhere.
“There needs to be honesty about the fact that it would create heterogeneity with UK regulations,” he said.
Dr Wilbourn warned that mandatory registration with the Jersey Care Commission could act as an “additional tax on the third sector”.
“Government has the stated objective to be supporting, rather than penalising and profiting from the third sector,” he said.
Dr Wilbourn, who is also the former chief medical officer for the Jersey diving hyperbaric chamber, questioned whether the commission has the expertise to inspect such facilities.
“We already have an annual insurance inspection so Jersey Care Commission inspections wouldn’t provide additional value,” he said.
Dr Wilbourn, who uses oxygen therapy to manage his multiple sclerosis, added: “The risk of fires is often cited as a reason for regulation of oxygen therapy centres, yet it was the absence of these incidents in the UK which led to their exemption from Care Quality Commission inspection. I am not aware of any recent incidents in Jersey or the UK.”
He concluded: “Overall, I’m not averse to increased regulation, but if this is required, there should not be any additional costs to third sector facilities.”
