By James Jeune

Copyright jerseyeveningpost

THE Island’s health watchdog is preparing to take on an expanded remit should proposed changes to Jersey’s care regulation legislation be approved later this year.

Jersey Care Commission chair Dr Nigel Acheson said the regulator’s planned “proportionate extension of regulation into the hospital, mental-health and ambulance services” would be of benefit to both service users and staff.

In November, the States Assembly will debate amendments to the Regulation of Care (Jersey) Law 2014.

The new legislation, which is also intended to strengthen the governance and independence of the Jersey Care Commission, could see independent regulation of the Island’s hospital, ambulance and Government-provided mental-health services implemented.

During a hearing of the Regulation of Care Scrutiny Sub-Panel yesterday [MONDAY] morning, chief inspector Becky Sherrington said the commission was “working really hard” along with service providers and other relevant stakeholders to prepare for the proposed changes.

Dr Acheson told the sub-panel: “We believe that the proportionate extension of regulation into the hospital, mental-health and ambulance services will make a positive contribution, not just to the quality of services – which is clearly of huge importance to everybody who is either living [in] or visits Jersey – but also to the staff in terms of helping them on that constant journey of improvement.”

Panel member Jonathan Renouf asked whether the commission was anticipating inspecting services in the current hospital or whether it would “only be inspecting once we get to the new hospital”.

Ms Sherrington answered: “My expectation is that the law will be debated in November, it then goes to the Privy Council, and then it returns back to us and we will be inspecting by the end of 2026.”

Speaking to the JEP after the hearing, Deputy Renouf said: “I hope that the Health Department is able to rise to the challenge of meeting the schedule set by the regulator.”