Health in Guernsey

The States of Guernsey established a Committee for Health & Social Care with effect from 1 May 2016. Its remit is to protect, promote and improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and the community.[1]

Guernsey's Medical Officer of Health and Director of Public Health is responsible for all health matters in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.

Healthcare

Guernsey residents registered for the payment of income-related Social Security contributions are covered by the ‘Specialist Health Insurance Scheme’ provided by the Medical Specialist Group consultants. Primary care is provided on a private basis by three General Practice partnerships whilst some secondary care and specialist services are free. The ambulance service is provided by Guernsey Ambulance and Rescue Service, a charitable company. This includes the non-emergency patient transport service.[2]

Hospitals

The Princess Elizabeth Hospital, located on the outskirts of Town, provides the Islands with medical treatment and care. Opened in 1949, it has been expanded over time and currently has 12 wards and various departments designed to deal with the health needs of a population of 65,000.[3] Undergoing an upgrade in 2023 to improve the critical care unit and post anesthetic care unit.[4]

Alderney is served by the 22 bed Mignot Memorial Hospital.[5]

Mental health

A purpose built Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre opened in 2015, adjacent to the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, enabling all mental health services to be located in one building.[6]

A review in 2018 of Guernsey's mental health services reported that overall "Guernsey has good mental health services, which in many ways are as good as or better than those in most countries in the world".[7]

The proportion of islanders saying that they were suffering with mental health issues increased from 14% in 2019 to 29% in 2021.[8]

Primary care providers

Apart from services provided at the hospital, primary care providers include:

Medical groups
  • Medical Specialist Group - a private practice of specialist consultants with expertise in certain areas of medicine.
  • Healthcare Group - Primary care surgeries and facilities [9]
  • IslandHealth - Primary care surgeries and facilities
  • Queen’s Road Medical Practice - Primary care surgeries and facilities

There is also the Island Medical Centre in Alderney.

Dental services

A number of Dental surgeries operate in Guernsey and Alderney

Holistic Practitioners

Holistic practitioners provide acupuncture, osteopathy and reflexology, meditation and yoga

Other health services

General developments

The annual Medical Officers report in 2022 reported that from 2017 there had been free contraception for under 21's, Covid-19 resulted in the deaths of over 50 people in Guernsey in 2019-2022 and the law on abortion was to be amended to modernise it and remove anomalies.[11]

The Health & Social Care committee made a 15-year contract with IMS MAXIMS to provide an Electronic Patient Record System, the My eHealth record, for acute hospital and mental health services in 2022. This will replace the existing TRAKCare 2012 system.[12]

In May 2022 the committee proposed a plan to consider legalisation of cannabis.[13]

From 1st January 2023, there is a reciprocal health agreement between Guernsey and the UK enabling residents to access medically necessary healthcare free of charge whilst they are visiting the other jurisdiction.[14]

References
  1. "Health & Social Care". States of Guernsey. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  2. "Health". Locate Guernsey. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  3. "Going into Hospital". Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  4. "Our hospital modernisation". Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  5. "The Mignot Memorial Hospital - Alderney". Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  6. "New mental health and wellbeing centre opens in Guernsey". 20 January 2016.
  7. "Review of Guernsey's Mental Health Services - December 2018". 29 November 2021.
  8. "Number of people with 'mental health issues' doubles in Guernsey". ITV. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  9. "Our innovation. Your healthcare". Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  10. "Les Bourgs Hospice". Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  11. "116th Medical officer of Healths report 2019-2022". Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  12. "States of Guernsey signs 15-year EPR contract". Building Better Healthcare. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  13. "Legalising cannabis in Guernsey proposal submitted". BBC. 13 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  14. "Health & Medical Care in Guernsey". Retrieved 2 September 2023.
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