Governance Arrangements for Health and Social Care – Follow up

Since the 2018 Report, governance within Health and Community Services (HCS) has visibly moved forward. This is evidenced by:

• the HCS Board, the supporting assurance committees and executive oversight; and
• new and improved systems for standards, regulation, risk management, performance management, business planning, whistleblowing and handling complaints.

However, there remain recommendations from 2018, all of which were accepted by Government, that are yet to be implemented.

• HCS now needs to focus on the capacity and capability of those involved in governance, including ensuring shared values, skills and culture
• the health and social care system on the Island includes HCS, other Government delivered services and non-Government service providers such as care homes, charities, doctors, dentists and pharmacies. Developments since 2018 have focussed on HCS despite many of the recommendations being system-wide recommendations; and
• the system-wide governance arrangements, encompassing this wider range of providers, will become more important as Jersey moves to a ‘community based (out of hospital), person centred, integrated health and social care model’ as intended by the implementation of the Jersey Care Model. Future governance arrangements will need to evolve to recognise this.