IOM DHSC & MANX CARE

[Kopek]

Why does Jersey feel able to make these cuts when we can't?

What is the mindset in Jersey govt?

... or do we not publicise such cuts?

[Mercenary]

46 minutes ago, Kopek said:

Why does Jersey feel able to make these cuts when we can't?

What is the mindset in Jersey govt?

... or do we not publicise such cuts?

They don't have reserves to burn through 

[Non-Believer]

17 minutes ago, Mercenary said:

They don't have reserves to burn through 

Exactly, and standing back and looking, Govt has reduced our usable reserves to £600M (as somebody else has posted) which isn't a lot given the liabilities so now they appear to have their eye on the NI Fund. The questions are, how much from the NI Fund, what happens after the NI Fund and where does it end?

We are trying to sustain an unsustainable economic model and given that other paths appear to be failing (only a 300-odd net increase in inward migration with a 15,000 target) it is looking like an expensively failing gamble. Unless a miracle turns up (maybe Crogga), it's looking like every man for himself. 

[Vaaish]

4 hours ago, Kopek said:

Why does Jersey feel able to make these cuts when we can't?

What is the mindset in Jersey govt?

Although I realise what I am about to say is something of a generalisation, for the most part Jersey is a more affluent place than here. I think it likely that a higher proportion of the population has private medical cover so a reduction of state medicine has less of an impact. There is also already an environment of ‘pay for’ in Jersey’s state funded healthcare; GP appointments and ambulance services for example. Cuts in Jersey don’t quite have the societal shock that they do here.

Perhaps even more controversially (on my part) in my experience there’s not quite the same ‘It’s government’s job/fault’ mentality in Jersey as there is here. On the Island… ‘My neighbours are noisy…what will government do…call the MHK…! The post is late…call the Mannin Line and slag government… Holy shit, the Manxman is a crock…sack everyone at the Steam Packet’ etc. etc. Jersey seems less knee-jerk so that when it rains on the day you’d planned a barbecue, here it’s government’s fault, in Jersey it’s because you can’t always rely on it being sunny.

[Banker]

4 hours ago, Non-Believer said:

Ah, but do Jersey have an NI Fund that can be siphoned from to keep the trough topped up for a little longer?

If not, therein lies a clue.

They have a strategic reserve fund of £1.1 bn so yes they do have a fund for use if needed but choosing not to this year.

[FANDL]

On 10/2/2024 at 5:15 PM, Sceptic said:

The whole immigration piece is an out and out scam as the King Gaming situation proves. They don’t apply the IHC as most of the people aren’t even here, and never will be here, so they don’t make them pay a fee for nothing. I wouldn’t be surprised to see IOM government officers behind some of it either. 

This has been posted on Facebook over the weekend by an acknowledged IOM immigration expert and former member of the IOM Passport Office. It confirms that the IOM does not apply the health surcharge in relation to its applications. It also says that a lot of the activity is a scam and that people trafficking is taking place. Presumably she would know and being an acknowledged expert in this field. 

As per the original post above we advertised that we (the IOM) received 4,451 VISA applications last year. We are either losing an incredible amount of money offering free NHS services to people who haven’t paid for any of it or something wider is very wrong. 

[Dr. Grumpy]

13 hours ago, Jarndyce said:

Which set of senior exec/admin, etc would you bin - current DHSC or current MC?   No point in a big reset if we don’t lose one of the “duplicated” sets of expensive staff…and, of course, front line staff were never duplicated in the same way.

About 85% of both, 90% of the transformation board and amalgamate the remaining

[Banker]

9 hours ago, FANDL said:

This has been posted on Facebook over the weekend by an acknowledged IOM immigration expert and former member of the IOM Passport Office. It confirms that the IOM does not apply the health surcharge in relation to its applications. It also says that a lot of the activity is a scam and that people trafficking is taking place. Presumably she would know and being an acknowledged expert in this field. 

As per the original post above we advertised that we (the IOM) received 4,451 VISA applications last year. We are either losing an incredible amount of money offering free NHS services to people who haven’t paid for any of it or something wider is very wrong. 

Of course they should be paying the same as in Uk except for front line healthcare workers 

[FANDL]

40 minutes ago, Banker said:

Of course they should be paying the same as in Uk except for front line healthcare workers 

Healthcare workers don’t currently pay in the UK. But the categories that do are shown in this link.

https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/who-needs-pay

When is an MHK going to ask for a breakdown of the 4,451 applicants we advertised applied via here last year by category so that the public can see who isn’t paying who should be paying and whether they would be paying in the UK had they applied through there. 

Unfortunately this issue has been raised several times now as way of generating revenue for Manx Care and most MHK’s don’t even seem to understand that unlike years ago there are plenty of people who don’t go through immigration in the UK anymore and who can come here and apply to live here via IOM legislation not paying the full UK fees. And that many do so because it’s cheaper as the UK levy does not apply and there is a perception that the IOM doesn’t really do much by way of background checks. It’s worth re-posting the clip above as it’s from an acknowledged IOM immigration expert. We clearly have a serious issue with the way the IOM legislation is being used and it’s entirely conceivable that many people are getting hospital treatment that they would have had to pay for had they applied for a VISA in the UK. But we seem to be happy to overlook all of this in a desperate clamour to produce statistics that show that people are moving here. Why put up taxes for locals to provide funds for Manx Care when we refuse to charge people who have just moved here as an incentive to come? 

Edited 11 hours ago by FANDL
Added para.

[Roger Mexico]

15 hours ago, Kopek said:

Why does Jersey feel able to make these cuts when we can't?

What is the mindset in Jersey govt?

... or do we not publicise such cuts?

It's mainly because Jersey has more elected politicians[1], which means it's much easier to get rid of the Chief Minister and override the wishes and interests of the civil service.  Manx politicians have been mainly interested in protecting their own privileges and perks and allowed the civil service to set the rules under which they operate, which makes it very difficult to change things.

 

[1]  Jersey has its own democratic deficiencies, most notably the twelve Connétables who are elected one per Parish, no matter how many or few people live in that Parish.  But at least more people are able to elect them than vote for LegCo.

[Banker]

15 hours ago, Mercenary said:

They don't have reserves to burn through 

Yes they do , they have a strategic reserve of £1.1bn as at 2024 to be used if an urgent need arises but prefer to cut public spending first.

[code99]

12 hours ago, Vaaish said:

Although I realise what I am about to say is something of a generalisation, for the most part Jersey is a more affluent place than here. I think it likely that a higher proportion of the population has private medical cover so a reduction of state medicine has less of an impact. There is also already an environment of ‘pay for’ in Jersey’s state funded healthcare; GP appointments and ambulance services for example. Cuts in Jersey don’t quite have the societal shock that they do here.

Perhaps even more controversially (on my part) in my experience there’s not quite the same ‘It’s government’s job/fault’ mentality in Jersey as there is here. On the Island… ‘My neighbours are noisy…what will government do…call the MHK…! The post is late…call the Mannin Line and slag government… Holy shit, the Manxman is a crock…sack everyone at the Steam Packet’ etc. etc. Jersey seems less knee-jerk so that when it rains on the day you’d planned a barbecue, here it’s government’s fault, in Jersey it’s because you can’t always rely on it being sunny.

Back in 2021, according to an article in the Balliwick Express: “Jersey’s politicians are paid just over £46,000, receive no allowances for staff or indeed constituency work, and are not offered access to a contributory pension scheme. They do have their Social Security contributions covered by the taxpayer…”

Compare these ‘salaries’ with our politicians’ current remuneration packages. And let’s not forget that our lot get free parking perks. If parking charges for politicians have been re-instated, that would have easily covered the £200k Manx Care’s cut backs to elective surgeries.

Now, two years before the next GE and our very well-compensated politicians are suddenly becoming the hive of activity. On another thread I ironically suggested that perhaps Mr Hooper, who is rumoured to be  ‘considering his position’,and is the ‘lone voice in COMIN’ to oppose the healthcare cuts, could try to “stick two pencils up his nostrils and put his underpants on his head”. I also surmised that if he did this, the other members of COMIN may not notice Mr (Blackadder) Hooper’s antics, because some of them would be too busy orchestrating their own escapes form ‘the 'Western Front’....to find their own ‘independent political voices’, to re-endear themselves to, and re-engage themselves with their constituents to reset reality as if the last three years never occurred.     

[Moghrey Mie]

Let's see how Jersey gets on with its £710 million hospital that is planned for 2028.

[Apple]

10 minutes ago, Moghrey Mie said:

Let's see how Jersey gets on with its £710 million hospital that is planned for 2028.

Let's see how we get on when the treasury has to find money for the Manx Care record system......

I wonder if Dr Allison, Mr Hooper or Mr Thomas will refer to it in Tynwald this week. Not holding breath.

[The Phantom]

Over the weekend I learned that the hospital is paying for a Pharmacist to come over for 2 days a week every week.  Flights and accommodation on top of what will be a very attractive locum fee.