Homes to move department

The Board of Health says there have been social changes

Guernsey's residential homes could come under the control of the new Health and Social Services Committee in future, if an amendment from the Board of Health is successful.

The move follows criticism from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) of plans for them to remain the responsibility of the Housing Department in changes for next year originally proposed in the Machinery of Government debates.

The RCN says keeping residential homes in housing fails to recognise moves to greater integration between health and social care in the UK, and is economically flawed.

The Board of Health's president, Deputy Peter Roffey, said the board had always felt the decision to keep them under the purview of housing was irrational and decided to bring the amendment after the RCN voiced its concerns.

Housing facilities

He said the board's feeling is that next year will see a new start for the island's government and is the time to put all services in the most appropriate place and that changes in society make the move more logical.

He said: "Originally, they were housing facilities, they were homes for people whose prime requirement was housing.

"That has changed slightly, there's been a social change over the years. Facilities have therefore changed to suit needs.

"They're not nursing homes but they are residential homes and that is a social service."