Category: News

Executive Council and the Governor on Friday re-examined the reasons for the closure of the Jamestown Swimming Pool. Members recognised it had been seven weeks since the pool was closed by Public Health and there was concern from the general public. They were very concerned at the delay in reopening this important facility for public use, especially during the present warm period. Members were informed that in spite of various interventions by the operator and Health officials it has not yet been possible to re-store the quality of the water in the pool to the required standards of clarity, chlorine content and pH level.

Medical specialists from the Health Directorate advised they have a genuine concern some members of the public may be susceptible to communicable illnesses if the general public used the pool in its present condition. ExCo Members present at the meeting questioned the findings and options in detail and concluded they had little choice but to accept the recommendations of the Health Directorate’s personnel. The Jamestown Swimming Pool will remain closed until a specialist engineer can get to the Island.

An exception is being made for diver training where divers would be in wet suits and use breathing apparatus, so should have far less direct physical contact with the water. The Health Directorate is satisfied this purpose would not constitute an unacceptable risk to individual health.

A Commissioning Engineer to service the pool and plant room, as well as to provide additional plant room training, to the Pool Operator and SHG Staff will arrive in early-January.  Additional swimming pool chemicals have also been ordered and are awaiting air freight delivery via the Airlink flight.

SHG will issue further information when available.

Background

The Pool has been closed to the public since Friday, 1 November 2019.

This decision was made after a routine health inspection of the Swimming Pool was held by the Environmental Health team on 28 October 2019. The inspection found that the chlorine level was below the recommended value, the pH level was higher than the recommended value, and one bacterial colony grew on the water sample without being able to provide further identification of the bacteria. The pool water was also found to be cloudy.

Subsequent daily checks of the pool were carried out and results failed to comply with operational standards. This was further aggravated when it was found that the pool chlorinator was broken and therefore corrective measures could not be undertaken. Works to repair the chlorinator took place soon after.

Following the pool closure, samples of particles from the pool water, the pool wall, and from the heritage wall were taken to test. The result of these tests showed a similarity between the water particles and the particles taken from both the pool and heritage walls.

Ways of addressing the cloudiness that constitutes a health risk were discussed as well as solutions to maintaining pH level and water balance (including other parameters such as calcium levels) were identified during a joint site visit and meeting that included representatives from the Health Directorate, Corporate Procurement, the Property Department of the Infrastructure & Transport Directorate, the Pool Operator and Corporate Support.

Since then, the Environmental Health team has been carrying out regular inspections of the pool. These tests found that water continues to appear cloudy, with water parameters still not meeting operational standards. The three main issues are:

• Varying pH levels between 7.8-8.2
• Low calcium levels
• Cloudy water that affects visibility

In its current state, the pool’s decreased water visibility poses a risk of injury and is a drowning hazard – a struggling swimmer could go unnoticed by other swimmers in and outside of the pool. These issues are further hindered by lime mortar falling off the heritage wall and some particles entering the pool water.

The high pH level also causes irritation to the eyes and skin but most importantly affects the disinfecting effect of chlorine, increasing the risk of infectious diseases. 

#StHelena #JamestownSwimmingPool

https://www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/

Tweets by StHelenaGovt

SHG
23 December 2019

Staff Nurse, Tracey Bowers, has recently been promoted to Senior Staff Nurse within the St Helena General Hospital.

As a Senior Staff Nurse, Tracy is responsible for co-coordinating the Hospital, teaching staff and mentoring junior nurses, participating in data collection and Hospital audit, being part of the senior nursing team, organising the roster, dealing with complaints and working towards a Sister Nurse position.

Tracey said:

“I applied for the job as I have a passion for nursing and looking after the people of St Helena. I will support my colleagues and act as a role model. I am looking forward to doing my Degree in January and will continue to enjoy my speciality as Cardiac Nurse. It is not about how much we do, it is how much love we put into the doing.”

Acting Director of Health, Dr Kamar Tanyan, commented:

“When Tracey applied for the post of Senior Staff Nurse, her dedication to her job and her passion to provide nursing care to her patients were qualities that stood out during her interview, making her the perfect candidate. We at the Health Directorate are very pleased to announce that we can now see the results of hard working years materialising by appointing a St Helenian Nurse in a senior position and we are positive that the Government succession plan will continue at our Directorate. I and all staff at the Health Directorate would like to congratulate Tracey on her new post.”

Hospital Nursing Officer, Daniella Marlow, added: 

“Tracey is a great asset to the team and the staff here are delighted and will all support her in her new role. Tracey is a fantastic nurse here, I am lucky to have her on the team. She will always go the extra mile for anyone who needs her. We look forward to many of the St Helenian nurses taking over more senior roles.”

Tracey started nursing as a Youth Trainee when she left school at the age of 15 where she did two years training – practical and theory – to become a Staff Nurse. At the age of 19, Tracey left St Helena for employment on the Falkland Islands where she spent the next 20 years. However, Tracey missed nursing and felt that it was a big part of her life and as a result returned home.

Tracey said:

“I came back to St Helena in 2010 and in 2011 I worked as a Nursing Assistant in the General Hospital. I really enjoyed it, but I also felt I could do better, so I asked if I could do my training again, which was a three-year course, but I actually did a two-year course and qualified as a Staff Nurse.

“Nursing has changed so much compared to when I first started nursing. There is so much to learn and every day you get to see different things which is so interesting. Nursing is my passion it drives me to want to learn more and care for our people. If I can just make a small difference to someone’s life, then that is rewarding to me.”

• 

#StHelena #HealthDirectorate #Promotion #SeniorStaffNurse

SHG

23 December 2019 

The Social & Community Development Committee will be conducting Public Consultation Meetings on the new Criminal Justice (Fixed Penalty Notice) Bill, 2019 from 9 January 2020.

This legislation will create a Fixed Penalty Notice regime. At present most offences are dealt with by way of a criminal prosecution or a police caution. Fixed Penalty Notices will provide for minor offences to be treated as civil penalties and can be used to avoid a criminal record for the offender.

Please see below planned Public Consultation meetings:

Date	Venue	Time
Thursday, 9 January	HTH Community Centre	7pm
Monday, 13 January	Jamestown Community Centre	7pm
Tuesday, 14 January	Levelwood, Silver Hill Bar	7pm
Wednesday, 15 January	Harford Community Centre	7pm
Thursday, 16 January	Blue Hill Community Centre	7pm
Monday, 20 January	Kingshurst Community Centre	7pm
Tuesday, 21 January	Sandy Bay Community Centre	7pm

Anyone wishing to make any comment on the new Criminal Justice (Fixed Penalty Notice) Bill, 2019 may do so in writing to the Secretary, Nicole Plato, Social & Community Development Committee at the Castle, Jamestown or via nicole.plato@sainthelena.gov.sh by no later than Friday, 21 February 2020.

The draft legislation is available in hard copy at the Customer Service Centre and the Public Library in Jamestown and is also available on the SHG Website via the following link: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/government/public-consultation/

Social & Community Development Committee

20 December 2019

The St Helena Health Directorate is participating in a webinar organised by Public Health England (PHE) to take place on Tuesday, 28January 2020. This webinar aims to share learning on implementing evidence-based health promotion approaches in a UK Overseas Territory.

Public Health representatives from all UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are invited to participate in the webinar.

This event is specifically arranged so that St Helena shares its experience in developing a Health Promotion Strategic Framework (HPSF) detailing the process of developing the strategy, enabling factors and challenges faced during implementation and St Helena’s approach to tackle them.

During the webinar, St Helena will also share the pillars of the HPSF and give an overview of its results and costs. The talk will be given by Dr Angela Jackson-Morris, who was the first health promotion lead on St Helena. Besides professionals from other UKOTs, the DFID Health Advisor will be in attendance.  

Acting Director of Health, Dr Kamar Tanyan, commented:

“We are very pleased to share our experience with other Islands and to be a model to follow. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with UKOTs for continuous learning and experience sharing.”

Notes to Editor:

In 2018 a HPSF was developed to set new direction in preventive health for the community of St Helena, particularly focused on reducing the prevalence and age of onset of non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and stroke), respiratory disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. The focus was the two leading modifiable risk factors: smoking and obesity (diet, physical activity) and the emphasis was on creating a more supportive environment – putting in place policies, and structures, products or services to enable people to undertake healthier behaviours more, and unhealthy behaviours less. A campaign was used to create awareness and understanding and motivate community members to take advantage of some of the created opportunities to enhance their health and reduce their risk of chronic conditions.

#StHelena #PublicHealthEngland #PHE #Webinar #HealthPromotion

SHG
20 December 2019

As part of their commitment to work together to improve the oversight of public finances and governance, delegates from the UK and the Overseas Territories (OTs) met last week at the Oversight of Public Finances and Governance – London Forum 2019.

The Forum,which ran from 9-11 December, was attended by Chairpersons of Public Accounts Committees (PAC), parliamentary clerks, and Heads of Internal and External Audit from Anguilla, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands, the UK, and Virgin Islands (UK).

The St Helena delegation comprised PAC Chairman, Cyril Gunnell, PAC Clerk, Anita Legg, Chief Auditor, Phil Sharman, and Head of Internal Audit and Risk, Anesu Happyman Makamure.

This was the third forum funded under the CSSF programme to explore public financial oversight and good governance under the banner of the UK Overseas Territories Project. It was a final opportunity to explore progress in OTs to date, address some of the ongoing challenges faced by PACs, Internal and External Audit agencies and identify ways in which the UK and OTs can continue to work together beyond the end of the project to ensure long-lasting impact. The Forum was also an opportunity for the newly established Internal and External Audit Leadership Groups to meet. This built on established relationships and encouraged continuing development.

During the Forum, Chairman of the UK Overseas Territories Project, Rt Hon. Lord Foulkes, stated:

“I have been delighted to see the positive outcomes from the UK Overseas Territories Project. The OTs have demonstrated a strong commitment to working together to strengthen their public financial oversight and scrutiny functions. With the latest phase of the Project scheduled to come to an end in 2020, the London Forum is an opportunity to cement the learning and good practice that has been developed to ensure that effective public financial oversight continues beyond the life of the Project.”

St Helena PAC Chairman, Cyril Gunnell, commented:

“I believe that all delegates found the London Forum 2019 an insightful and useful event and we look forward to continuing to partner the CPA UK, in consortium with the UK National Audit Office (NAO) and the UK Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA).”

Notes to Editors

Launched in 2017, the UK Overseas Territories Project partnered with OTs to identify areas where support would be welcome, and activities were tailored to address those areas. Activities included clerk attachments from the UK devolved legislatures and Crown Dependencies to PACs in the OTs; multilateral training for External Auditors; secondments to the NAO and GIAA; and workshops for parliamentarians and officials in the OTs, Westminster, Scotland and Wales.

The current phase of the Project is due to come to an end in 2020 and is an initiative delivered in partnership by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK (CPA UK), UK NAO and the GIAA along with participating OTs.

• 

#StHelena #PAC #PublicFinances #Governance #LondonForum2019

SHG

19 December 2019

Contrary to recent media reports, the Children & Adults Social Care Directorate would like to clarify that the new weekly rate for users residing at the Princess Royal Community Care Centre (CCC) as of 6 January 2020 is £64.00 and not £73.00 as reported.

Director of Children & Adults Social Care, Tracy Poole-Nandy, explains:

“The Directorate has reviewed the current charging policy to ensure that any charges are equally applied to all residents; the current changes have been agreed with the support of Social & Community Development Committee. Prior to the agreed change in policy, only those in receipt of Basic Island Pension were paying for the care they received within this service and those in receipt of private pensions were not charged. The changes ensure that all residents who are in a position to pay the contribution to their care at the CCC do so, meaning the charges are equally applied.”

Prior to implementation, a financial assessment will be undertaken of all residents who are not currently paying for the service at the CCC to ensure affordability. Please contact the CCC Manager, Rosalie Brown, or a Head of Care if you have any questions relating to this process.

#StHelena #CCC #C&ASCD

SHG
18 December 2019

Today, Wednesday 18 December, is observed as the United Nations (UN) International Migrants Day, where we celebrate and recognize diversity and migration.

On St Helena, we welcome individuals from all countries and regions, which is apparent when you look at the diversity of the members of our community. Throughout our Island’s rich history we have seen arrivals from a varied range of backgrounds going all the way back to the Portuguese and Dutch.

The observance of International Migrants Day this year focuses on the stories of social cohesion, which are as varied and unique as each of the 272 million migrants living new lives and building new communities in every corner of the globe.

UN Secretary General, António Guterres, said:

“All migrants are entitled to equal protection of all their human rights. On this International Day, I urge leaders and people everywhere to bring the Global Compact to life, so that migration works for all.”

We learn together, create together, work together, sing, dance and play together. We live together. That is the meaning of International Migrants Day and its message.

Notes to Editors:

The United Nations Global Compact is a non-binding United Nations pact to encourage businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation.

#StHelena #InternationalMigrantsDay #Diversity #WeTogether

https://www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/
https://twitter.com/StHelenaGovt

SHG
18 December 2019