Latest news with #PrincessElizabethHospital
BBC News
3 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
New clinical care unit 'will not open any time soon'
A new clinical care unit at Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital "will not open any time soon", the island's top civil servant has June, the BBC revealed the opening of the unit had been the project, which made up phase one of the hospital modernisation project, was scheduled to be completed by autumn 2024. States of Guernsey chief executive Boley Smillie said: "There are issues that need to be resolved, issues I cannot talk about unfortunately." The BBC understands problems with the installation of new ventilation units and the placement of some walls have caused some of the delays. Health and Social Care President George Oswald said during the last political term there was no political oversight of the project. Mr Smillie admitted the States needed to be more transparent, but said commercial relationships sometimes got in the way of that: "There is always reasons why we have to deal with things behind the scenes."But you know there's no hiding from the fact that we've got to do better on some of these projects." In a speech to a local think tank Mr Smillie, who has been in post since January, said the States struggled with accountability. "When it comes to large projects, accountability starts to dilute."Some people are stretched across too many projects, we need people to be focused on delivering outcomes and that works very well in some areas, in some areas we have got to hold our hands up so we can do better."Despite the problems, he focussed on recent successes, when it came to delivering big projects. "The Liberation Day celebration took a lot of organisation. "The election whilst people talk about the results and whether island-wide voting is a good thing or a bad thing, actually the operation of the election was brilliantly run by officers."We were declaring results much earlier than anyone would have expected of us, so there's lots to be proud of and lots to be positive about. "What we have got to do better on those large-scale projects is be more outcome-focused we have got to make sure that accountability and responsibility is clear, as it is not as clear as it could be."
BBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Guernsey man says walking gave him purpose after death of wife
When Roger Baudains' wife of 60 years died in 2024, he said he had contemplated taking his own he said his mental health started to improve after a chance meeting with experienced runner Mark 82-year-old decided to raise money for the hospital that looked after his wife Ann through her illness through walking challenges."The day after the funeral I woke up and thought what should I do and I thought I'll walk," he said. "After meeting Mark and the walking it gave me another purpose. There's still a lot more to live for." He decided to walk non-stop around the coastal roads of Guernsey and put any money raised toward buying a camp bed for relatives staying on Carey Ward, at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, where his wife had been cared raised £5,300 with his first Prevel has also raised money for charity with his own running challenges."I'm glad that I met up with him and helped him to get to where he is today," he said."His determination is incredible and his mindset has completely changed." 'I feel full of life' Mr Baudains said he wanted to offer hope for others experiencing said of walking: "You're never too old to start, and you'll feel a lot better."He smiled as he thought about what his wife would make of his newfound fitness."She'd be amazed at what I can do now," he said."I just feel full of life." If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, information and support is available at BBC Action Line.
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Guernsey healthcare funding 'unsustainable', new president says
All options need to be looked at for the future funding of healthcare in Guernsey, the new President of the Health and Social Care Committee (HSC) has George Oswald said the current system was "unsustainable" without a funding president said at the start of July the HSC had "no political oversight" of the first phase of the hospital modernisation comments came after the BBC revealed the opening of a new critical care unit at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital had been delayed again. Oswald said finding an answer to funding was his number one said: "What we are providing for at the moment is unsustainable. "If things remain as they are by, I think it's the year 2040, our excess health costs in addition to what we're paying at the moment will be an extra £40m a year."We need to have a clear and conscious and fresh look at it." He said the sustainable health care delivery model was going to require a "significant amount of work" in the next term."There is so much involved but I'm grateful for the support of my committee of whom we have a very able body of people who are going to, I hope, at the end of this term produce a model which actually takes us into the future that we can afford and live with."I'm supportive of any need we have to raise extra revenue - it is urgent that we do this otherwise we will be in trouble." 'Tackle obesity crisis' Besides funding and organisation, the new president wants HSC to be focused on improving the physical health of said: "We need to carry on working on the current preventive measures we have in terms of alcohol consumption and tobacco usage, but most of the hard work and that has already been done."The next real main preventable health care issue that we can tackle is the obesity crisis - we've got an application in for funding to start a tier three obesity service which I hope will be successful."
BBC News
27-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Further delays to opening of Guernsey critical care unit
The opening of a new critical care unit at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital in Guernsey has been delayed of Guernsey officials had said the new block would be opened in autumn 2024 before it was delayed again to early BBC understands issues with the installation of new ventilation units and the placement of some walls have caused further delays. Heath and Social Care (HSC) said the opening "sadly but unavoidably, would continue to be delayed until essential remedial works have been completed" but it did not give a timeframe. It said of the issues: "These have taken longer than anticipated but we are continuing to work with the contractor to get this resolved."The BBC understands work is under way to fix the defects by contractors Rihoys and Son, which was commissioned to work on the full hospital modernisation was negotiating with Rihoys around how this work will be funded. Rihoys chairman Gavin Rihoy said: "Working to deliver this major capital project within a working hospital and clinical environment has been challenging, though we are working to complete remedial works as soon as possible."This facility will provide many benefits for patients and staff, helping to save lives in the future." HSC said: "We know this will be disappointing news for the community as a whole and we are extremely disappointed too. "This delay, although frustrating, does not present a clinical risk as we continue to have a fully functioning and safe Post Anaesthetic Care Unit and Critical Care Unit in the current PEH."It is important to remember that the Critical Care Unit cares for our most vulnerable patients and it is vital that we get this right for them and for our staff, given the benefits that the new units will bring." HSC President Deputy Al Brouard said in March 2025: "We hope to officially open the post anaesthetic care and critical care units within the next few months. "We had hoped to open in April so naturally we're disappointed, but it's crucial that we get this right for patients and staff given the benefits that the new units will bring and that is our focus."It is not the first delay to the scheme to extend the hospital, as the project had been scheduled to be completed in autumn the States said in August 2024 "the final elements of the building work have taken longer than anticipated". Bella Farrell, chairwoman of Guernsey's healthcare watchdog Carewatch, said she was disappointed by the delay and encouraged the new HSC committee to work towards transforming local health services."There is going to have to be a reimagining of how health and social care services are provided within these of limited resources," she said. At the start of this project, the States said the scheme was needed as the current hospital "provided a poor experience for patients and staff". In 2019 the States approved Phase 1 of the hospital modernisation project, at a cost of £34m, but it is not yet known whether the new delays will lead to the project going over 2023 the States said the work was set to come in on time and on 1 of the project included the new critical care unit, a post anaesthetic care unit, relatives' facilities and staff the critical care unit was planned to include eight beds, before increasing to nine beds during 2025, with capacity to increase to 12 beds. Last year it was revealed officials HSC officials knew about a projected £30m overspend on the hospital extension in February then a UK firm has been employed by the States to look at how the costs of Phase 2 the project could be kept within the approved £120m budget.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Ambulance boat transfers two patients from Sark
Two patients on Sark were taken to hospital in Guernsey by the ambulance boat on Mapp, chief executive of Guernsey's Ambulance and Rescue Service, said at 16:30 BST the Sark doctor had requested Flying Christine III to urgently transport a patient with a medical condition to said shortly after the boat left St Peter Port the crew were told a second person had suffered a traumatic injury and also needed to be transferred to hospital. It was the first medical mission of the year for the newly refurbished marine ambulance, Mr Mapp added. Flying Christine III docked at St Peter Port at about 18:20, Mr Mapp said, from where the two patients were taken to the emergency department of the Princess Elizabeth Hospital by in the day the ambulance boat had been deployed to Sark to provide additional medical cover during the Princess Royal's visit for the island's 80th Liberation Mapp thanked the volunteer boat crew who responded to the medical incidents and those who had manned the vessel during the royal visit.
