Health boss backs 6% fund increase

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Health's chief officer, David Hughes, has criticised a lack of understanding about the costs of off-island and on-island care.
He supports minister Peter Roffey's call for a 6% increase in total funding to meet the rising cost of off-island care, which if ignored could lead to cutbacks in local services. Mr Hughes said it was important that people understood the differences between off-island and on-island care, the reciprocal health agreement and the consequence of health inflation. 'Quite simply, we are faced with ever-increasing costs of off-island care - something that we have no control over,' he said.'In reality, the cost of off-island care has increased by 300% in 10 years, whereas our overall Health and Social Services budget has increased by only 38%. 'If we don't have the money available in the off-island budget we can only pay the costs of care if we take from our budget for local services.'We have no other choice because we have to find the money from somewhere,' said Mr Hughes. The on-island budget covers the cost of local health services whereas off-island care includes long-term placement of between 90 and 105 islanders who need medical, educational or social care which cannot be provided in Guernsey.The reciprocal health agreement, which exists between Jersey, the Isle of Man and the UK allows for the cost of care for islanders who need short term or emergency treatment in those jurisdictions.