Health charges would need public support - report
A report from the Jersey Audit Office warns that proposed healthcare charges will fail to improve financial sustainability without public support. The government is considering fees for missed appointments and emergency visits to manage a projected £300m funding gap by 2043.
Why it matters
It illustrates the global challenge of balancing rising public healthcare costs with the need for social consensus on funding reforms.
A report from the Jersey Audit Office said the government was considering a "suite" of health charges [BBC] Health charges being developed by the government will not save money or change patient behaviour without public support, a report from the Jersey Audit Office has warned.
The report on sustainable healthcare funding also said there needed to be "wider healthcare and social reform" to ensure public spending delivered value for money.
It said the government was considering a "suite" of charges, such as fees for patients who missed hospital appointments or attended the Emergency Department instead of visiting a GP, and that these measures would need to be explained and enforced to drive financial and cultural change.
The BBC has contacted the health minister for a response.
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