Many of us had high hopes just a month ago that construction for an acute hospital at Overdale could begin in 2025. The outpatient departments at Overdale had all moved successfully to the Enid Quenault Medical Centre at Les Quennevais. Demolition was going ahead on the old buildings at Overdale. It seemed that a new home had been found for Samares Ward. £52 million had been approved for the next stage of hospital plans and the functional brief. It was hoped that the variants to the plans could then be submitted to the Planning Committee for approval in the spring, with the outline business case to be voted through the Assembly in the summer.
Sadly progress is now on hold until after the Vote of No Confidence in the Chief Minister on 16th January. If Deputy Tom Binet, who had to resign his post as Infrastructure Minister to bring the vote, manages to oust the Chief Minister, the plans for the hospital that he has skilfully shepherded through to date could still go ahead. If the Chief Minister survives, the plans for the new hospital will probably go back to the drawing board once again. Judging by her performance to date and by her unswerving support for the Health Minister the future of the new hospital hangs in the balance.
It is therefore not just the fate of the Chief Minister but also of the new hospital and the Island’s healthcare system that is once again at stake in the Vote of No Confidence on 16th January.
Drag & Drop Website Builder