SHG Receives Additional Funding from FCDO for Essential Equipment

In November 2022, it was announced that St Helena would receive funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) bespoke 2022/2023 Improving Essential Equipment in Overseas Territories Programme. At that time

St Helena was allocated up to £1,800,000 for the purchase of equipment of critical importance to the island. This was in areas including healthcare, emergency services, port operations, road maintenance and the airport.

In November 2023 an additional £577,000 was made available for the purchase of an ATC Data System upgrade for St Helena Airport, Chromebooks for Prince Andrew School, and a care package including bariatric chairs, lifting system, beds, mattresses, hoists, falls sensors and suction equipment. Table 1 shows a breakdown of the cost of this equipment. 

Table 1

St Helena Airport – ATC Data System Upgrade
ItemCost
ATC Data System Upgrade & Installation                                 £362,804.42
Education, Skills and Employment – Chromebooks
ItemCost
180 Chromebooks                                   £86,220.00
180 Laptop Bags                                     £2,070.00
600 Google Workplace Subscriptions                                     £1,500.00
230 Google Chrome Licences                                     £6,900.00
Health and Social Care – Care Setting Upgrade
ItemCost
Vivid Care Bariatric Chairs                                   £34,105.00
Winncare Mangar Lifting System & Cushions                                   £28,407.94
Harvest Healthcare Beds and Mattresses                                   £25,936.36
NRS Hoists                                     £1,150.00
NRS Mattresses                                   £17,500.00
NRS Falls Sensors                                     £2,332.28
Medisave Suction Equipment                                     £8,572.89
Overall Programme
Actual Spend:                                 £577,498.89

In May 2024, a further £1 million was allocated.  Portfolios were required to submit prioritised lists of equipment accompanied by supporting business cases, from which Ministers shortlisted and selected high priority items.  These were endorsed by the Steering Committee comprising of HE Governor, Chief Minister, SHG and FCDO officials. Equipment selected from this tranche of funding included the purchase of recycling bins, a recycling glass plant, public transport buses, hospital equipment for both general and specialist surgeries, occupational therapy equipment and pressure relieving mattresses, immigration equipment such as a Resident Permit Card Facility and Passport Scanners, a document management system, education resources and fire protection equipment.  

Table 2 below shows the estimated cost of each of these items.  SHG can confirm that the procurement process has commenced and further information relating to the equipment procured will be released as items arrive on island.  The balance of this programme, is being allocated to the Airport to invest in a security upgrade to ensure regulatory compliance.

Table 2

Key:
ENRP –  Environment, Natural Resources and Planning
CSS  –  Central Support Services
HSC   – Health and Social Care
SSHA – Safety, Security and Home Affairs
ESE    – Education, Skills and Employment
AGC   – Attorney General’s Chambers
ItemCost
ENRP – Household Recycling Bins£75,000.00
ENRP – Glass Grit Recycling Plant£91,402.83
CSS   –  Public Transport Buses (3x)£181,500.00
HSC   – Oertli Faros Phaco Machine (required to carry out cataract surgery)£51,377.26
HSC   – Endoscopy equipment£218,534.17
HSC   – Ergometer£6,079.19
HSC   – Pressure Relieving Mattresses£14,876.08
HSC   – Occupational Therapy equipment£9,185.50
HSC   – Physiotherapy equipment£1,745.57
HSC   – Diathermy equipment£15,000.00
SSHA   – Immigration EVisa System, Resident Permit Card Facility & Passport Scanners£170,560.00
SSHA   – Fire Fighting Equipment£80,763.94
ESE     –  Health, Safety and Science equipment£33,080.00
AGC    –  Document Management System£15,120.00
Freight from Round 2 (22/23 & 23/24)£16,088.39
TOTAL:£980,312.93

SHG would like to express sincere gratitude to the FCDO for the generous funding made available in 2023 and 2024. This funding has enabled SHG to make significant improvements, enhance safety and efficiency and provide valuable resources to our community.

#StHelena #EssentialEquipment #FCDO

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