Assurances regarding the hospital contract

WQ.160/2026

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES

BY DEPUTY K.M. WILSON OF ST. CLEMENT

QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 14th SEPTEMBER 2026

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 21st SEPTEMBER 2026

Question

"In relation to the new acute hospital project, will the Minister advise what project assurance framework is being followed and detail, in chronological order from January 2024 to June 2026, the assurances he received prior to signing the hospital build contract in June 2026, including the dates –

1. he obtained, or was due to obtain, the required assurances as set out in both the outline and full business case;
2. of any assurances he gave to the Council of Ministers; and

will he state the assurances outstanding at the time the contract was signed, the reasons why these were unavailable, and any assurances received after the contract was signed?"

Answer

The response must first start with the end of the question, confirming, as did my previous Statement that assurance was concluded and satisfied on the Main Contract for the Acute Hospital and Full Business Case for the NHFP Phase 1. Moreover, this was additional to the assurance framework already in place for the NHFP which follows the Government of Jersey guidance and Public Finance Law related to Major Projects including (but not limited to) establishing management controls, independent oversight and engagement with Government colleagues. This framework was in place from January 2024 to June 2026 and continues today and would be recognised by Deputy Wilson as an evolution of the assurance and governance in place prior to that date.

Whilst I note that the present question relates to assurance, it is worth restating here some of the benefits that will be delivered to islanders from the NHFP Phase 1 including:

• Greater capacity to treat patients on-Island in the future

• Operational, patient and working spaces that support improved healthcare outcomes

• A greater ability to attract and retain staff

• Greater support for the development of staff skills including education and training

• External and internal spaces that increase accessibility, privacy and dignity for patients, visitors and staff.

Regarding the contract for the Acute Hospital, it was advised shortly before the planned date for signature that additional assurance would be required. As outlined in my Statement regarding the signing of the New Hospital Construction Contract dated 8 September 2026, an additional mechanism was agreed with the contractor to address this position. This took the form of an agreement that provided the Government with an ability to not proceed with the contract during a defined period whilst the additional assurance was completed, should that work identify any adverse and material matters. This approach enabled the contract to be signed whilst preserving appropriate safeguards and allowing the further assurance activity to continue. The additional assurance work was supervised by Treasury and Exchequer on the Main Contract for the Acute Hospital and FBC and included third party assurance that they represented Value for Money and were representative of the current healthcare market and global economic conditions. The additional assurance confirmed that it was appropriate for NHFP Phase 1 to proceed.

With regard to the Council of Ministers, the Main Works Delivery Partner Contract for Acute Hospital (Main Contract) and the progression of the NHFP were considered on a number of occasions prior to contract signature. Meetings took place on 14 April 2026, 5 May 2026 and 4 June 2026 specifically to discuss the Main Works Delivery Partner contract, update members of the Council of Ministers on the status of the Programme, consider relevant governance and assurance matters, and seek Council of Ministers approval to proceed. These meetings were supplemented and preceded by ongoing engagement with relevant Ministers and senior officers as matters developed. Together, they provided opportunities for collective consideration, challenge and scrutiny and formed an important part of the decision-making process. Council of Ministers subsequently supported the progression of the contract and completion of the associated processes required to proceed.

In addition, the Scrutiny process that Deputy Wilson oversaw as part of the Hospital Review Panel was also part of the assurance framework and included appointment of independent advisors.

Accordingly, the signing of the Main Works Delivery Partner contract should be viewed as the culmination of several years of assurance, scrutiny and development activity undertaken by the NHFP (and the three previous projects before it). The decision made has reflected advice from a wide range of professional, clinical, ministerial and governance stakeholders and was reached within a framework that had provided ongoing review and challenge throughout the life of the Programme.