The Jersey Consumer Council has said the need for the service stems from the fact that some people are put off going to see their GP because they have over-estimated the cost of an appointment.
The organisation’s executive officer, Anne King, described the website, which is due to go live in September, as ‘basic but holistic’. It will cover GP and dental care first, with optical care as a possible follow-on later in the year.
It will give a range of the prices that are available, as well as guidance on how the Island’s healthcare system works. Currently, doctors’ fees start from around £38, with dental check-ups starting at around £20 – in both instances a range of discounts and pricing schemes may be available covering children, pensioners and other groups. The Consumer Council already runs the Fuel Watch website, which compares petrol prices and ranks the cheapest across the Island.
‘The marketplace for doctors and dentists in Jersey has improved dramatically since we conducted our survey of primary healthcare in 2012,’ Ms King said. ‘There are some practices, both GP and dental, that are offering good prices – but the problem is that you have to know they are there. That is why we have devised this website, so people can see what prices might suit them, what discounts might apply and what kinds of relief and benefits could be available to them.’
There is a natural tendency to ‘kowtow’ to medical professionals, according to Ms King, and this can lead people not to ask questions and instead make assumptions about prices.
‘You can ask questions, and, in fact, doctors and dentists would rather that you asked,’ she said.
‘There are mechanisms in place that make healthcare more affordable to some Islanders but people need to ask and inform themselves if they are to access them. We would like to see government getting more involved in this process – and our survey of election candidates showed that the vast majority thought the States should do more to make primary care more accessible. However, we have heard nothing from the Health Minister or his colleagues since they’ve taken office.’
But chairman of Jersey’s Primary Care Body – the group that represents doctors in the Island – Nigel Minihane, said that work was currently going on ‘behind the scenes’ between government and local GPs to explore ways in which visits to the doctor could be made more affordable for those most in need.
‘Local GPs are very concerned about the question of access, and so is the new Health Minister, I believe. We are currently working behind the scenes with the Health Department to look at this issue,’ he said.
‘For example, we are conducting surveys of people who use the Emergency Department to find out if they are doing so for financial reasons. We know that the category of “vulnerable people” who are perhaps unable to afford GPs’ services includes older residents, children and those who are suffering from multiple problems, but it also includes those who may have lost their jobs and are struggling with health issues, for example. They may require frequent visits, which could simply be unaffordable for them. We are looking at how we can help them to access GP services.’
At the time of publication, Health Minister Richard Renouf was not available for comment.
