A RECIPROCAL health agreement between the Channel Islands and the UK is being dissolved because it was considered bad value for UK taxpayers, it was revealed yesterday.
‘Department of Health officials have indicated that it was felt that the agreement did not constitute value for money’, said a Health and Social Services Department spokesman.
The agreement will end on Tuesday 31 March, following which Bailiwick residents who fall ill while in the UK will usually have to pay for healthcare.
This has sparked irritation with one of Jersey’s politicians. Senator Jim Perchard (pictured) said greater consultation would have been in order.
‘It saddens me that there has been no face-to face co-operation and communication and the dialogue has been by email,’ he said.
‘Given the importance of this matter, I would have thought that at the very least there should be face-to-face consultations in order that an amicable agreement can be reached.’
The HSSD spokesman said all accident and emergency attendances and visits to NHS walk-in treatment centres would continue to be provided free of charge.
‘However, other treatment will be chargeable in the future – accordingly, as with all travel outside the Bailiwick. Travel/health insurance is recommended,’ he said.
Bailiwick students in the UK will continue to benefit from free access to all parts of the NHS and will not be affected by the decision.
‘Guernsey and Alderney patients referred to UK hospitals for secondary healthcare by a recognised local consultant will not be affected by this decision as this is already funded by the Bailiwick,’ he said.
‘Patients who have to go to the UK to receive treatment not available locally will not be affected by the decision if they are referred for this treatment by a Bailiwick consultant.’
He said that the department did not consider it a particularly negative change as UK residents ‘were probably deriving greater benefit from the agreement than Bailiwick of Guernsey residents had been,’ he said.
Many Bailiwick residents already take out private travel/health insurance to cover holidays or business trips to countries with whom the Bailiwick does not have a reciprocal health agreement, he said.
‘They are now being advised to do so for trips to the UK.
‘Most healthcare received by Guernsey and Alderney residents in the UK is provided on a planned basis outside the reciprocal health agreement, via service agreements with individual NHS hospital trusts. The Bailiwick already funds these and this arrangement will continue in the future.’‘It saddens me that there has been no face-to face co-operation and communication and the dialogue has been by email’
Jersey Senator Jim Perchard
Article posted on 10th February, 2009 - 2.29pm
3 Article Comments
Well done Senator Jim Perchard of Jersey for standing up for Channel Island interests.
He is totally right. You cannot have an end to an important reciprical health agreement without face to face sensible discissions.
I hope Guernsey and Jersey politicians will insist on proper dialogue and it seems that our Health and Social Services Department should be leading the way and showing they care.
We did not help ourselves when we stopped UK residents having free care when in Guernsey and that retrograde step caused us more damage than the small savings it made.
There needs to be a public debate on this issue and if saving the agreement means we have to contribute a little bit more to the UK authorities, then at least let our States have the figures so that they can decide, rahter than HSSD.
This is not something which should be decided behind closed doors and information being witheld. I hope the Guernsey Press will do some digging and give the public the full picture.
Tony Webber
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I was very disappointed when i heard about this on the local news.
The wording was something along the lines of “cover will stop for guernsey and alderney residents at the end of march but Jersey are still is discussions with the uk”.
This sounds to me like Jersey has stood up, argues and tried to get a new deal sorted whilst the guernsey states has given in straight away with no concern for locals.
Good on Jersey for taking a stand.
It sometimes seems to me that the people in charge of Guernsey have little or no concern for residents. I’m sure they all have health and travel insurance and will have made sure they’re covered. Obviously no concern for the people who don’t or can’t afford it.
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Not sure i understand the problems as if we will be covered for emergency care what else would we want whilst on holiday? I do have annual travel insurance anyway but will have to check whether this includes health care.
I am disappointed in our Guernsey politicians though who appear to be so apathetic.
The other thing of course is will this affect our tourism? I have visitors coming over in August and advised them of the need for extra insurance as they have a child who suffers from epilepsy which sometimes requires emergency treatment and they said that their travel agent hadn’t heard anything about it. I telephoned the hospital to check if emergency treatment would be given to UK visitors free of charge and was informed that it had been decided by Guernsey that they would not. They will be treated as if they come from e.g. America or Europe and have to pay both for the doctor (which visitors pay for already the same as we do) but they would also pay another charge for the use of the hospital. If the UK government get wind of this they will surely start charging Guernsey people for emergency care?
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