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Deputy Liam McKenna has labelled charges imposed by the Committee for Health and Social Care (HSC) on private patients as “excessive and cruel”.
Deputy McKenna said that HSC was “unaccountable” and that its policies were “failing those who need help most”. He made the comments in response to a five-page statement issued by HSC following multiple enquiries about private patient charges.
HSC opted to issue one statement in response to several enquiries from the media, States’ deputies and local organisation Health Equality for All (HEAL).
Pictured: Deputy Liam McKenna has a master's degree in advanced and specialist healthcare.
In its statement, HSC confirmed that it charges a “25% uplift” to private patients, whether they have private health insurance or are self-funding.
In a recent open letter, HEAL Chair, Mike Read, questioned whether “HSC are overcharging private patients”.
“A patient made HEAL aware that HSC, in addition to the charges it makes to recover the costs of this treatment, actually add a further 25% to the bill...To us [HEAL] it sounds like HSC are taking advantage of those least able to afford it, profiting in the worst possible circumstances...,” said Mr Read.
However, HSC said “it would be inaccurate to describe such costs as profiteering” and stated that the 25% uplift is “not intended to generate a surplus”.
Deputy McKenna, who has a master’s degree in advanced and specialist healthcare, said he “fully supports Mike Read and all the efforts of HEAL”.
“Our mums, dads and grandparents are being forced to use savings, borrow or even sell their house to pay for excessive and cruel HSC charges when accessing an unaccountable, private healthcare charging system,” said Deputy McKenna.
“There is no scrutiny; all our families want is to receive a timely and normal level of medical care."
Pictured L-R: HSC President, Al Brouard, Vice President, Tina Bury, and members Marc Leadbeater, Aidan Matthews and Alderney representative Alex Snowdon.
Deputy McKenna continued: “With almost 70% of our families without health insurance, cost has stopped or delayed them accessing healthcare in the last year. HSC policies are failing those who need help most and failing to close the deepening inequities and growing inequality we are seeing in our healthcare system.
“HSC has failed in its duty to give our families clear, publicly accessible guidance on the range and extent of HSC’s private patient charges that include a process of exemption and appeal.”
HSC commented: “HSC does not seek to be opaque in its decision making, but respectfully must point out the complexity of the decisions it is mandated to make.
“HSC provides information on its website and in paper format, if necessary, on funding prioritisation (available HERE) and medicines funded by the States of Guernsey (available HERE). Policy guidelines and application form etc are all available on these pages.”
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