Cost-of-living pressures may be driving some Islanders to A&E instead of GPs - Jersey Evening Post
by Christie Bailey · Jersey Evening PostPosted inNews
Cost-of-living pressures may be driving some Islanders to A&E instead of GPs
by Christie Bailey 25 June 202624 June 2026
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COST-OF-LIVING pressures may be contributing to some Islanders visiting the Emergency Department over their GP, according to a politician and Jersey’s primary care representatives.
The comments came after the JEP this week reported that 9,654 Emergency Department attendances in 2025 were classified as “primary care” cases – meaning hospital staff believed the patients could have instead been treated by a GP, pharmacist or another community healthcare service.
However, the Primary Care Body – which represents Island GPs – said the figures should be viewed in context.
Nigel Minihane, speaking on behalf of the organisation, said Jersey GPs carry out around 400,000 consultations each year.
“If 10,000 of these are occurring in the Emergency Department, that constitutes 2.5%. In other words, 97.5% of primary care work is being carried out appropriately in the community,” he explained.
Dr Minihane added that these figures compared “very favourably” with the UK, where between 10% and 20% of Emergency Department attendances are estimated to involve conditions that could have been treated elsewhere.
He said there were a number of reasons patients may choose the Emergency Department, including because it is free, because they believe their condition is more serious than it turns out to be, or because they think they will gain quicker access to diagnostic tests.
The Primary Care Body also rejected suggestions that a lack of access to GP appointments was a major factor, saying all practices had confirmed they offer daily emergency appointments and that most patients can see a doctor on the same day.
However, Dr Minihane acknowledged concerns around affordability and health inequalities.
He said the Primary Care Body had long argued that “middle Jersey” – Islanders with low disposable incomes – remained “unfairly disadvantaged”.
While measures such as free consultations for children and screening programmes had helped, Dr Minihane suggested higher healthcare rebates for financially vulnerable Islanders could make the biggest difference and should be considered as part of the forthcoming Health Funding Review.
Newly elected St Helier Central representative Deputy Lee Carpenter also linked the issue to the cost of living.
“When money is tight, people reduce spending on what are perceived to be luxuries in order to prioritise essentials, such as food and housing,” he explained.
The Reform Jersey politician argued that when faced with the choice between paying for a GP appointment and attending a free service, some people would inevitably opt for the latter.
“People aren’t going to A&E out of convenience – quite the opposite; you’re often sat there for hours on end – they’re going to A&E because the cost of a doctor’s appointment remains prohibitive for too many,” he said.
Deputy Carpenter said that while charges for non-urgent A&E attendances could reduce inappropriate use, they could also result in fewer people seeking healthcare altogether.
Instead, he called for further efforts to make GP visits more affordable, pointing to Reform Jersey’s successful proposal during the last Assembly term to introduce free appointments for under-18s.
“We need to explore how this can be expanded,” said Deputy Carpenter. “There may also be an expanded role to play for pharmacists when it comes to non-urgent medical issues. “
Responding to queries from the JEP, the Health Department said it was committed to ensuring patients receive the right care, in the right setting, by “working closely” with primary care colleagues.
The department said the data “represents a relatively small proportion of overall patient contacts across the health system”.
Health confirmed it does not routinely capture detailed reasons why individuals attend the Emergency Department, noting that data reporting in this category is not mandatory.
“Patients may present for a range of reasons, including perceived urgency or ease of access. All patients are clinically assessed on arrival and prioritised based on need,” a spokesperson explained.
“Our focus is on working collaboratively with our primary care colleagues to support patients to access the most appropriate service.
“This includes ongoing work to improve patient awareness of available services and ensure effective triage within the Emergency Department.”
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