More than £1.5million is to be spent trying to cut down the orthopaedic surgery waiting list with that money being spent on and off island.
The Committee for Health and Social Care has admitted the extra funding, which is being spent in a variety of ways, including sending patients elsewhere for surgery so they don't have to wait for treatment in Guernsey any longer.
The extra budget has been agreed by Policy & Resources which agreed to give HSC £1.5million out of the Budget Reserve to pay for off-island surgeries, along with extra on-island theatre sessions. The Committee for Employment and Social Security has also agreed to HSC having some extra money to pay for an extra anaesthetist so those additional theatre sessions can go ahead.
The extra funding was confirmed following questions Express asked HSC as complaints continued to be made despite the committee publicly saying it was tackling the problem of orthopaedic waiting lists.
Pictured: There have been complaints about long waiting lists for orthopaedic surgery for some time with HSC promising to tackle the issue.
Previously, HSC and the Medical Specialist Group had both said they were going to work together to cut waiting lists, with plans including the use of 'off-island partners' and increasing the times that theatres are used - including offering appointments for Saturday surgeries.
Those plans have gone ahead along with the extra funding.
Stephanie Barnes, Head of Client Team at HSC, said patients appear satisfied with the current solutions.
“The team has been busy contacting patients and we have been delighted with the uptake, although we understand that the off-island option might not be preferable to some patients for a number of reasons. Therefore, we are also continuing to review how on-island capacity for surgery can be optimised,” she said.
In its statement released today, HSC said:
"Patients waiting for orthopaedic surgery have been taking advantage of Saturday surgeries, which launched a few weeks ago. The extra surgeries complement the work undertaken during the week in theatres and provide extra capacity for on-island procedures. HSC has also used its Day Patient facilities for orthopaedic procedures that can be done outside of a main theatre.
"HSC wishes to thank its staff and the MSG Surgeons, who have supported these weekend services, in addition to their busy weekday work.
"This is just part of a multi-solution approach to bring back waiting times to acceptable levels. Agreements have been put in place to enable Guernsey patients to have orthopaedic surgery at selected off-island centres, which include the Peterborough Orthopaedic & Spine Specialist Hospital and Spire in Southampton. So far, over 65 islanders on the waiting list been contacted by HSC to make the offer of UK surgery and travel arrangements are being made for those that wish to take up the opportunity.
"As part of the ongoing work with Jersey to collaborate on healthcare provision, HSC is hoping to utilise orthopaedic capacity for its patients on Jersey in the near future.
Funding of up to £1.5m has been secured from the Budget Reserve, with the approval of P&R, to support off-island surgery, as well as the extra on-island theatre sessions. In addition, ESS have approved funding for an extra anaesthetist which will enable additional theatre sessions to be undertaken.
"The additional capacity being delivered through the various on and off island initiatives will collectively reduce the overall volume of patients waiting for their surgery, and the length of time they will wait before that can be delivered. These initiatives are complicated, involve many different stakeholders and so will take time to fully deliver and make a difference. However, both HSC and MSG are committed to reducing the length of time that orthopaedic patients have to wait for their treatment and are determined to make it happen."
HSC has blamed the 'limitations of the PEH infrastructure' for some of the delays in orthopaedic surgeries, saying that it is now "crucial that the hospital modernisation programme is actioned as soon as possible to minimise any future recurrence."
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