Jersey’s Health Minister has told ITV News that he came under “huge pressure” whilst finalising a deal to build the island’s new hospital.
Senator Tom Binet has criticised the machinery of government for slowing the timeline down, as a contract was signed just two days before the election after months of negotiation and years of debate.
At the time, the Department of Health and Social Care said that the deal was “within the financial envelope agreed by the States Assembly” – referring to the £710 million project budget.
£710 million
Total healthcare redevelopment budget
However, that funding will also have to pay for the development of two other “major sites” – the Kensington Place ambulance station and St Saviour Health Village – which were not included under this contract.
When announced, the department would not say how much the hospital contract with Bouygues UK cost, citing the reporting restrictions of an election period.
A month later, Senator Binet said he had not yet considered when more information will be published but insists that some details will eventually be released.
The Minister also rebuffed claims that he had not provided sufficient information to the previous Council of Ministers on the contents of the contract and the timing of its signing.
He told ITV News that the detail he gave them was “very comprehensive” and that “they were left in absolutely no doubt as to what the key issues were”.
Senator Binet stressed that the timing of the announcement, two days before last month’s election, was crucial.
He warned that the construction company may have lost trust in the Government if it had failed to meet the agreed timeline.
The Health Minister also made striking critiques of Comptroller and Auditor General Lynn Pamment.
Senator Binet claimed she “intervened very, very heavy handedly” and that he came under pressure to complete due diligence before the contract was signed, something he disagreed with.
“I don’t think it was reasonable for anybody to have been put under the pressure that I was put under”, he said.
“The bit that disturbed me most was towards the end when, if I’d have bowed to the pressure, I’d have left signing until after the election.”
The hospital has been under increased scrutiny in recent months after dozens of patients had operations cancelled in heatwaves. The Medical Director pointed to broken air conditioning and other issues due, in part, to “older facilities”.
Mary Venturini is Chair of the campaign group Friends of Our New Hospital. Speaking to ITV News, she voiced concerns about the lack of information in the public domain.
“We know very very little”, she said. “We don’t even know the price of the contract … I would just love to see a date for all of this to begin.”
When contacted for comment, Ms Pamment’s office referred ITV Channel to the annual Audit Plan, released in January. This year’s will include an analysis of the redeveloping of hospital sites.
They also pointed out that the Comptroller and Auditor General operates “under the Comptroller and Auditor General (Jersey) Law 2014 and in accordance with a published Code of Audit Practice issued under that Law”.
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