Saturday, October 28, 2017

Submission of MIchael Dun to the Planning Inspector's examination of the Proposed new hospital scheme for Jersey in November 2017



 

The Jersey proposed New Hospital – Submission to the Planning Inquiry                                   Page 1

From Michael Dun                                                                                                                   September 2017.

 

This is my written submission by e-mail to planning@gov.je and should be considered in conjunction with the attached video links.

The video links are my recordings made of the inadequate so called public consultation process over the past 2 years – including my interviews with the Minister for Health and others on the “design team.”

These are prepared and submitted in accordance with the Jersey Government’s e-gov policy to encourage improved communications.

 

 

1) “Let’s just get on with it” sums up the current thinking behind the proposed new hospital. Although this is the most important and costly building project ever known in Jersey – the discussions have been so prolonged and contradictory that the general public and many in government are just “sick” of the whole thing.

 

2) The public is so reluctant to comment for this Planning Review that extra time has been allowed by the Minister to try to draw out public opinion.

 

3) The lack of independent professional comment by architects, designers and medical practitioners since 2012 has been deplorable. The general public has received little or no learned alternative guidance because of a professional “omerta.”

 

4) It is evident that a few individuals in government have exercised their own capricious and personal preferences behind the scenes to influence and change the budget, financing, timescale, location and design of this project throughout its progress.

 

5) The history of the official discussions is set out adequately in the Scrutiny Sub Panel Report from November 2016 (SR 7/2016) and I do not propose to repeat that.

 

6) The Scrutiny Report refers to the failure of this project to include for the “whole design programme for health and services” in Jersey.

This is a fundamental omission that must not be ignored.

 

7) The substantial reforms that are proposed in the provision of primary care and the needs of the aging population and suchlike have been much talked about but there are minimal plans only for their funding or implementation.

Without such plans being known, costed and agreed, the design proposal for the new hospital is virtually useless.

 

8) The extra patient costs to be imposed through consulting GPs, physiotherapists, dentists and many more  “primary care” providers  and engaging home care services is a deceitful part of the  whole covert “user pays” strategy.

The range of services to be, or not to be provided within the new hospital, is not explained.

Some existing services and staffing are already inadequate and underfunded.

Many people already try to use A & E facilities because they cannot afford to consult GPs or others for so called “primary care” but which should be provided within a hospital facility.

 

9) The majority of Jersey’s population does not own the accommodation they live in and are not empowered to make alteration to suit their disabilities or illnesses.

                                                                                                                                                               Page 2

10) Most accommodation is inadequate for “caring” purposes. It’s not just an “aging problem”.

11) 12,000 working adults (and their children) – about one fifth of the working population – do not have “housing qualifications” and must live in the worst accommodation  and so are the least enabled to care for themselves  when injured or ill. They tend to work in the most hazardous and low paid jobs and are already liable to the extra stresses of poverty and poor housing. This is a matter identified in the recent Report of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry.

 

12) “Function dictates form” is especially true for a hospital but the functions to be provided with this project have not been adequately quantified or determined.

 

13) There is no provision at all for so called “mental health” treatment.

 

14) The future uses of major parts of the existing structures are not resolved.  The Granite Block is to be kept supposedly because it is listed but its future purpose is not determined.

The future uses of Overdale and St Saviour’s Hospital are not defined.

 

15) Existing staff accommodation at Westaway Court is to be converted to form a remote and inadequate “out patients” department.

 

16) There is no certain plan for future provision of staff accommodation or staff recruitment although these two are integrally linked factors.

 

17) Since 2012 there has been endless discussion about the choice of the site but the alternative options have never been fully explored in public and the hospital needs of Islanders remain uncertain and undetermined.

 

18) The current choice of location seems to be motivated primarily by the fact that the hospital already occupies this town site and an absurd belief that most people who will use the hospital live within “walking distance.”

 

19) No Access Strategy has been prepared that I am aware of.

This is especially strange for such an important facility which caters primarily for people with disabilities and illnesses.

 

20) Access to and within the site is not clearly determined.

Parking provision is vague for patients, visitors, staff, emergency, delivery and maintenance vehicles.

 

21) The existing road patterns are seriously inadequate and will not be improved. 

Gloucester Street especially is a noisy main road which is busy day and night and is devoid of any desirable design characteristics. This development will ensure its preservation for many future decades.

 

22) It is difficult to predict future medical and technological changes so any new hospital design has to allow for this. To a large extent the current buildings need to be replaced because they do not accommodate change easily - but it is not just about technological advances.

 

 

 

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23) Attempting to build this new hospital within the same cartilage as the existing whilst it remains in business will surely create totally predictable problems for the users of the facilities and the design and construction teams. The new hospital should evidently be built somewhere else.

 

24) The French Connection was much talked about 5 years ago and how Jersey patients could be treated in that country. But already, even before the outcome of BREXIT is known, French providers are refusing to submit tenders for the provision of treatments.

 

25) The most favoured Oxford hospital recently closed its trauma unit because of design defects revealed following the Grenfell fire. Thus, for many reasons “off Island” referrals are not to be relied upon for such a major long term provision.

 

26) The reliance upon inadequate transport links for “off island” treatment is wholly optimistic. The sea and air carriers do not provide a sufficiently reliable or affordable service and are susceptible to weather extremes.  They are often not user friendly, especially for disabled travellers.

 

27) The air-lines serving Jersey tend to be financially precarious using smaller aircraft which have inadequate access or toilet provision – if any.

 

28) It is sometimes necessary to close Victoria Avenue or nearby parks for emergency helicopter access.

Such emergency access should be included within a new hospital.

 

29) If a disaster of Grenfell proportions did occur in Jersey it is doubtful if adequate hospital facilities could be provided “on Island.” 

But, it is realistic to design for major outbreaks of illness or a serious accident and this proposal seems to be “downsizing” rather than enhancing space, capacity and skills.

 

30) The “WOW FACTOR.”

The Minister for the Environment has today declared that the whole Waterfront area lacks an architectural “wow factor” and is boring.

I do not disagree but I wonder how he has belatedly arrived at this conclusion but more particularly how the New Hospital might achieve the highest standards of design that it warrants.

 

31) There is certainly no evidence so far of any desire to produce an “Iconic” building.

Rather the whole process so far has been centred upon squeezing almost anything into a location which is totally unsuitable, already congested and without attempting to improve the amenities of the area.

 

32) The prevailing “let’s just get on with it” attitude is guaranteed to produce yet another massive development failure.

 

 

My video links can be accessed on a separate page.                                                            END 3 of 3


 

 

Jersey proposed New Hospital  -  Compilation August 2017

VIDEOS by Mike Dun 2016 and 2017.

 

1 - REVISED SCHEME (Current project )

Environmental Impact Assessment

2017 - 18 May   https://youtu.be/hx5cYluiXSU

 

2 - Interview with Minister (Current project)

2016 – 3 August   https://youtu.be/L4RpZP0qQcM

 

3 - Current Project – overview including computer animation (Current project)

2016 – 3 August   https://youtu.be/BZ211s_DSSQ

 

4 - Interview with Minister following States decision – Now 3 sites (Part 1)

2016 – 23 February    https://youtu.be/tun0p2JDLV8

 

5 - Interview with Minister following States decision – Now 3 sites (Part 2)

2016 – 23 February   https://youtu.be/0zib_CPs34w

 

6 - Demo in Royal Square and defeat of People’s Park project (Part 1)

2016 – 23 February   https://youtu.be/FiFqmsxw9hY

 

7 - Demo in Royal Square and defeat of People’s Park project (Part 2)

2016 – 23 February  https://youtu.be/yVGM6ZJs-lw

 

8 - Demo in the mud at People’s Park

2016 – 22 February   https://youtu.be/UZPoC-9l9s4

 

9 - Proposed hospital in People’s Park – “Why?” in two Parts (Part 1)

2016 – 8 February   https://youtu.be/Gm1OC_UG52c

 

10 - Proposed hospital in People’s Park – “Why?” in two parts (Part 2)

2016 – 8 February   https://youtu.be/TOMvxYc6OQc

 

11 - Proposed hospital in People’s Park – “Where?” in three parts (Part A)

2016 – 8 February   https://youtu.be/G1pEuEy9t9k

 

12 - Proposed hospital in People’s Park – “Where?” in three parts (Part B)

2016 – 8 February   https://youtu.be/DMfSBq43Th4

 

13 - Proposed hospital in People’s Park – “Where?” in three parts (Part C)

2016 – 8 February   https://youtu.be/gpcPkbVLfSY

 

14 - FOOTNOTE Why Architectural Competitions?  

A discussion recorded at the Association of Jersey Architects Design Awards

And UK Stirling Prize in Jersey

2015 – 15 September 2015   https://youtu.be/MdXvaPEkmsA

 NB the Planning Inspector declined to include the videos as part of my submission.

Nominations for Jersey Parish Constables in the 2014 election


 

Ref: PFOI-2017-1018


16 October 2017



Request

It would be appreciated if you supply the names of all those who nominated or proposed Constables for the 2014 election in each of the 12 Parishes.

 

Response

Parish Candidates for Connétable - October 2014 election Proposers:
St Brelade Stephen William Pallett Exempt under Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011.
https://parish.gov.je/StBrelade/PublishingImages/Pages/Parish-Assembly-Minutes/14.09.17%20Connetable.pdf
St Clement Leonard Norman Maureen Olive Hamel, Alan J Le Breton, Trevor K Le Sueur, Terence John Le Main, Jean Beryl Chapman, Norma Jean McNeice, Robert Arthur Youngs, Allyn Costandine Reid, Lynne Christine Hind and David William Peacock.
Grouville John Edward Le Maistre Mark Labey; Sharon Eddie; David Morgan; Nicholas Parlett; John Le Gresley; Helen Isobel Chambers; Alfred Paisnel; Kay Viney; Christopher Renouf; Drew Livingston.
St Helier Alan Simon Crowcroft Clive Neil Stewart Barton MBE; Stewart Mourant; Magdalena Chmielewska; Pierre Francois Horsfall; Andre Domenico Ferrari; Stephanie Claire Nicolle; Iain MacFirbhisigh; Manuela Vieira; Eliot Lincoln; James Roy Spriggs.
St John Christopher Hugh Taylor Michael Robottom; Edith Ann Pulley; James Wade Godfrey; Gwen Batho; Jeanette Bailhache; James Maxwell Allan; Michael Coutanche; Mick Rondel; Rita Pinel; Emma Bennett.
St Lawrence Deidre Wendy Mezbourian Brian Philip Raffray; Caroline Lyette Evans; Margaret June Howard; Christine Eve Journeaux; Gerald John Le Brun; Susan Elizabeth Kerley; David Edward Le Cornu; Derek Philip Le Maistre; Alfred Stanley Pipon; Alan Paul Reed.
St Martin Michel Philip Sydney Le Troquer Raymond Leslie Le Cornu; John Gerard Poole; Trevor Francis Green; Norma Batchelor; Madelene Marie Le Corre; Judith Fiona Eden; Percival Charles Gicquel; Daniel Anthony Mahony; Alan Edward Mollet; Leslie Allo.
St Mary Juliette Gallichan
 
Anthony James Gilbert; Kiran Patel; Gordon Herve; Colin Archibald Storm; Anthony John Staples; David Vincent Langlois; Clare Duval; Emma Bennetts; Margaret Lily Baudains; Terence Graeme Gallichan.
  John Michael Le Bailly
 
Stephen Cole; John Clarence Huelin; Kenneth Raymond Le Marquand; Alan John Moullin; Cynthia Mary Cotillard; Alan Victor Le Breton; Robin Noel Pittman; Martin de Gruchy; Ivor Eldon Barette; Peter Le Rossignol.
St Ouen Michael John Paddock Edward John Syvret, Valerie Remon, Ronald John Vibert, Basil George Carre, Michelle Gail Cuthbert, Doreen Schofield-Fost, Laurence Armstrong, Neville William Bell Briggs, Jane Alison Reed, Brian David Padfield.
St Peter John Martin Refault David Edward Payn, Martin John Willing, Kathleen Isobel Dougan, Clifford Alfred Blanchet, Jean Margaret Vibert, Gordon Pollock, Christine Amanda Tostevin, James Osmund Simon, Neville Henry Renouf, David William Drage.
St Saviour Sadie Anthea Le Sueur-Rennard Steven Laffoley-Edwards; Barry de la Mare; Lisa Frances Cantrell; Lynda Le Gallais; Anne Teresa Garnier; Anthony Philip Stevens; Maureen Ann St. George; Jamie Roy Laffoley-Edwards; John Etienne; Robert Charles Duhamel.
Trinity Philip Bond Le Sueur Frederick John Benest; Philip Joesph Austin; Lewis John Rondel; William Peter Corson; Peter John Davis; Mary Elizabeth Dunford; Brian George Dorey Richardson; David Owen Reynolds; John Hedley Moulin; Andrea Howell.

St Brelade declined to provide info for the FOI list - so it had to be extracted from the Parish Web-Site
St Brelade  Constable Stephen William Pallett; Proposer Julian Alexander Bernstein ; Seconders - Derek Roy Hart, Edward Le Gros, Colin Bichard, Joy Rachel Hart, Maureen Morel-Orchard, John William Trafford, James Bevis, Michael Amy and Gordon Wright

NB The only contested election was at St Mary so there are 2 candidates for Constable and Juliette Gallichan was elected.