The review board – launched by Chief Minister John Le Fondré and chaired by Assistant Chief Minister Chris Taylor – say that the Waterfront and Overdale site options should be revisited.
The majority of the panel concluded that they were ‘not assured’ that the evidence supported the current plan of building the new hospital on the existing site, the cost of which has been estimated at £466 million.
And they felt that other sites were too quickly ruled out.
Among the findings were that:
– The views of clinicians had not been properly considered.
– The previous Council of Ministers failed to provide proper justification for ruling out the Waterfront site.
– The clinical risks of building next to a functioning hospital had not been given sufficient weight.
– ‘Political reasons’ prompted the decision to drop the Waterfront site, rather than medical ones.
Health Minister Richard Renouf, a member of the review board, did not agree with the majority of the panel’s findings.
Mr Taylor admitted that any decision to start afresh on a new site would set the proposed timescale back by at least six months – meaning the new hospital would not be completed until at least mid-2028.
He said that it was possible to continue with the existing project plans on the current site, but that one or two alternative sites ‘should be re-examined’.
He cited Overdale and the Waterfront as being those two alternatives.
Senator Le Fondré has previously confirmed that the final approval for the project would be put before the new Assembly. He will now review the board’s findings and decide whether the debate should include the option of voting on the Waterfront or Overdale sites. The debate is likely to take place early next year.
A current planning application for a development on the existing site remains live, and a report from independent planning inspector Philip Staddon on that application is due to be completed by the end of the month.
Planning approval could still, therefore, be gained before Members debate any proposition from ministers.
Mr Taylor said: ‘The Chief Minister has said there will be a political debate to decide whether to build on the current site. That debate will probably be in January.
‘There is a very real fear that we will create more delay. The question is should we look for a site that potentially could be better, that could provide better facilities and a better working environment?’
He added that a significant amount of the £25.5 million already spent on the project would not be wasted as building plans and research could be easily adapted for a fresh site.
A staff survey carried out by the board found that the majority of the 22 per cent of staff who responded preferred a new build on the People’s Park. However, Mr Taylor said the park was not being put back on the table.
Both Senator Le Fondré and Mr Taylor have previously expressed support for the Waterfront site.
However, Mr Taylor said: ‘I believe I have been able to come at this from a neutral position.
‘The main reason the Waterfront was removed was that politically they [the former Council of Ministers] believed there is massive money to be made from the site and it is too valuable.
‘I am more simplistic. There is nothing more important than people’s health.’
Deputy Renouf declined to make a detailed comment on the report other than to state he will ‘debate it alongside my fellow Members’ and that he is ‘committed’ to delivering the best hospital.
The Council of Ministers were due to discuss the board’s report yesterday afternoon.
The board comprised Mr Taylor, Deputy Renouf, Assistant Chief Minister Richard Buchanan and Deputies Rowland Huelin, Trevor Pointon and Carina Alves.
