Social Security Medical Board: Appointment of Medical Board Practitioner

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

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demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision
providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

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A decision made 2 March 2012:

Decision Reference: MD-S-2012-0019
Decision Summary Title :	DS – Appointment of a Medical Board Practitioner		Date of Decision Summary:	2 March 2012
Decision Summary Author:	Manager – Pensions and Health		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	WR- Appointment of a Medical Board Practitioner		Date of Written Report:	2 March 2012
Written Report Author:	Manager – Pensions and Health		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: Social Security Medical Board- Appointment of Medical Board Practitioner
Decision(s): The Minister approved the appointment of a medical practitioner to undertake medical boards as provided for under the provisions of Article 6 of the Social Security (Incapacity Benefits)(Jersey) Order 2004.
Reason(s) for Decision: A pool of appropriately qualified doctors is required to ensure that the department can assess benefit entitlements in a timely manner.
Resource Implications: There are no additional resource implications with this appointment.
Action required: No further action is required.
Signature:		Position:
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Social Security Medical Board: Appointment of Medical Board Practitioner

Appointment of a Medical Board Practitioner

The Social Security (Jersey) Law 1974 (as amended) defines the requirement for a claimant in receipt of Incapacity Benefit to submit periodically to a medical board at the request of the Minister. The medical board must consist of one or two medical practitioners nominated by the Minister.

The medical board must determine:

The effect of the illness in respect of which that benefit is claimed

The duration of the award i.e. when it would be appropriate to review for continued incapacity to work.

The Social Security (Jersey) Law 1974 (as amended) provides for the determination of questions relating to a loss of faculty for the award of Long Term Incapacity Allowance (LTIA). The Minister must refer certain questions to a medical board consisting of one or two medical practitioners. The medical board must determine:

If there is a loss of faculty
If the loss of faculty is permanent
The degree of incapacity as a result of the loss of faculty i.e. the percentage award, and
The duration of the award i.e. when it would be appropriate to review for any improvement/deterioration of the condition.

The department requires a pool of appropriately experienced doctors appointed to ensure that medical boards are undertaken and benefit claims are assessed in a timely manner.

The Minister for Social Security is satisfied that Dr Roger Porcherot has suitable knowledge and experience to undertake the role of a medical board practitioner.

Dr R Porcherot

Dr Roger Porcherot qualified as a doctor in 1967 and has been working in Jersey as a general practitioner since 1969. Dr Porcherot has received training from Dr Roger Thomas,who is one of our approved medical board doctors with a vast experience of assessing claimants for State Benefits.

2 March 2012