Patients Given Right to Appeal A&E Misuse Fines

Health & Care Jersey has confirmed that patients will be able to appeal charges for using the emergency department in non-emergencies, under new proposals to reshape healthcare funding.

The plans, due to go before the States Assembly in December, include A&E misuse charges, penalties for missed appointments, and a review of which treatments will continue to be publicly funded.

Officials said almost a third of A&E visits were not true emergencies. Under the proposed system, patients judged not to require urgent care would be redirected to a GP or pharmacist. If they still chose to be treated at hospital, they would face a fee similar to Jersey Doctors on Call charges (£77 for residents, £97 for non-residents). Children, psychiatric patients and those on income support would be exempt.

Health bosses also want to tackle the 1,000 missed appointments recorded each month, which cost more than £1.3m a year. Patients who fail to attend twice without notice could be charged £55, though exemptions would apply.

A new Treatments and Interventions Prioritisation Policy would also determine which drugs and therapies are “cost-effective and clinically sensible” for Jersey, with some minor or low-value treatments no longer funded.