THE States financial watchdog is to review Health’s spending. But Public Accounts Committee chairman Leon Gallienne said it was not related to any overspend.

‘Health is our biggest spending department and PAC’s job is to see we get value for money,’ said Deputy Gallienne.

It was a department that would always come under public scrutiny.

Health minister Peter Roffey has vigorously defended its spending.

It could go over budget by £600,000 this year, but is trying to recoup about £400,000 of that from the UK for services provided under the reciprocal health agreement.

Commenting in the Guernsey Press Editors’ Blog at www.thisisguernsey.com, Deputy Roffey said that spending on health was falling behind rapidly in relative terms.

‘Already there are really basic things which could save lives, such as screening for colorectal cancer and vaccination against cervical cancer, which have become standard in other First World countries but which we can’t afford here.’

He added Guernsey had three choices:

* Put more taxpayers’ money into health provision.

* Attract more private money.

* Realise that the health service will gradually fall behind the provision elsewhere.

Deputy Roffey favoured a combination of the first two.

He said the increased cost of off-island placements was due to it being a sellers’ market.

‘A frustration for my department is that the clear suggestion from the National Audit Office was that these placements should be centrally funded from a ring-fenced budget.

‘That hasn’t come about so the increasing cost of off-island health care has had to be funded by making savings in our on-island spending.

‘If we are not careful that can become a vicious circle because if we erode on-island provision too much then we are forced to send more people off-island.’

There were no easy answers, he added.

‘But I think we need to be realistic and those who believe our current services are gold-plated have been severely misled.’