Multimillion-pound health projects to be reviewed

Two major reviews into hospital modernisation plans and an electronic patients record system's introduction have been launched.

The States of Guernsey's Scrutiny Management Committee (SMC) said it had talked to the Health and Social Care Committee (HSC) for 12 months about the Our Hospital Modernisation Programme (OHMP) and the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) System.

The SMC said both were among "the largest and most significant public sector projects", with millions of pounds already invested, and estimated costs of hundreds of millions.

The committee said it believed both projects should be subjected to detailed independent reviews. HSC said it welcomed SMC's decision to launch reviews.

The SMC said OHMP's first phase was estimated to cost £34m, but had experienced delays and additional costs while the new critical care facility remained incomplete at Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

It added the OHMP's had a current estimated cost to taxpayers of between £120m and £160m.

The committee said the States had already put more than £20m into the current phase of EPR, with further "substantial additional investment" required.

SMC president Andy Sloan said the reviews would focus on whether governance, political oversight and management had been robust, if the projects were delivering the outcomes and benefits intended, and were islanders receiving value for money.

Sloan said: "Together they involve many tens of millions of pounds of public money, with further substantial investment still to come.

"Over the past year, we have deliberately given Health and Social Care the opportunity to get these projects onto a firmer footing before commencing formal scrutiny.

"Throughout that period, we have sought regular updates and engaged constructively with the committee."

The SMC said it would put out an invite for expressions of interest from members of the public with relevant expertise to join the EPR review panel.

It added expressions of interest would be sought from States members who wanted to work alongside it on the OHMP review panel.

HSC president George Oswald said the reviews came as no surprise to the committee following conversations it had with SMC over the last 12 months.

He said HSC would "engage constructively" with the review process.

Oswald added: "We recognise that these are substantial, multimillion-pound investments on behalf of the community and with that comes a legitimate expectation that questions around governance, accountability, value for money and delivery are examined thoroughly - we share that expectation.

"The committee has always been clear that both programmes are complex but are also fundamental to improving healthcare services for islanders, both now and in the future."

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