Free GP Visits For Students

Students in full-time education will be able to see a GP for free following a States vote.

Reform Deputy Carina Alves wanted the scheme that was introduced earlier this year for under 18s to be extended to anyone in full-time education.

She argued that if a student is born at the start of the academic year and turns 18, they would not be given the same benefits as those born in August or September.

Another reason she gave to convince colleagues to back her was that Jersey-born students studying in the UK have free healthcare through the NHS, while their Jersey-educated counterparts do not get the same treatment.

Social Security Minister Deputy Elaine Millar did not want to see the amendment accepted by States members.

"The Minister for Health and Social Services is leading a major review of future health systems and funding challenges and will report back to the Assembly by the end of next year.

In the meantime, ministers will continue to support well-targeted schemes to support access to healthcare subject to the need to provide sustainable funding for these schemes in future years."

Chief Minister Deputy Kristina Moore called for restraint.

"We do  actually need to watch our pennies. There's absolutely no doubt that it was the right thing to do to fund the under 16s in their attendance at GP surgeries, and that is making a big difference, it is true Sir.

But what we need to do now is to exercise some discipline, because this will not stop, and where do we stop?"

The #StatesAssembly has voted to APPROVE @DeputyAlves' amendment, with 24 votes for, 20 votes against, and 0 abstentions. https://t.co/AvmQ4l1FUR

— States Assembly - Jersey's elected parliament (@StatesAssembly) December 12, 2023

Elsewhere in the Assembly, Deputy Lyndon Farnham disagreed, saying he could not see how an argument could be made against this.

"My time in the States has been a rather extreme learning experience.

A number of years ago perhaps I wouldn't have supported this. I perhaps wouldn't have supported free busses. I probably wouldn't have supported free GP visits for children. But having seen it,and seen the benefits it brings, and seen the confidence it restores in this Assembly, (it) has been a revelation."

Similarly, Deputy Montfort Tadier says students may not be working alongside their studies.

"You don't have an income stream, therefore, you need that support.

How often have we heard from all sections of the Assembly about this cliff face that young people can face at the age of 18?"

£75,000 pounds will be taken from the Health Insurance Fund to pay for GP visits for full-time students.

For Deputy Alves, it was a second successful challenge on the subject of GP visit, having secured free GP appointments for children last December,