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The Health Services Directorate would like to inform the public that with effect from Wednesday, 10 August 2022, there will be direct telephone numbers allocated to the following sections within the Health Services Directorate:
The Dental Clinic, Jamestown, via tel: 25387
The Pharmacy, Jamestown, via tel: 25867
The Administration Block, 3rd Floor of the Hospital Admin Building, via tel: 25949
The direct telephone numbers will be operational between 8.30am and 4pm, Mondays to Fridays.
The General Hospital will remain contactable on tel: 22500.
SHG
9 August 2022
The St Helena Health Services Directorate would like to reduce the number of face to face appointments at the General Practitioner (GP) service, or outpatients as referred to on-Island, during the period in which community spread of COVID-19 is expected.
The Health Services Directorate is arranging for GP’s to telephone patients before their clinic appointment to check if their appointment can be dealt with via telephone (e.g. such as if a patients test results are normal and there is no further action required, this can be relayed via the telephone).
Patients may therefore receive a telephone call from one of the GP’s prior to their clinic appointment, where they will discuss whether a face to face consultation is required.
The Health Services Directorate therefore requests when booking appointments, to ensure that you provide your preferred contact information i.e. phone number, email or address to be able to receive test results.
We would like to thank you in advance for your help in trying to improve our service delivery.
SHG
9 August 2022
In order to soften the impacts of the rising cost of living, a number of policy changes were recently approved by Executive Council. These changes last through to 31 March 2023:
- Customs duty reduction: With effect from August 2022, customs duty tariffs for certain essential items will be reduced from either 5% or 20%, down to 0%, as reflected in the Customs & Excise (Amendment) Regulations 2022. These items include essentials such as basic foods, PPE, and items deemed most essential for low-income households.
- Freight-transport subsidy reallocation: The subsidy that previously covered transportation of all cargo from Rupert’s to James Bay, will instead now subsidise only the transportation of essential items (provisions, animal feed and reefers) as well as a contribution to freight costs (£1,600/TEU) on these items. This will take effect from voyage 55.
- IRB and BIP increases: From 1 September 2022, both Income Related Benefits (IRB) and Basic Island Pension (BIP) will increase by £2/week. This is in line with the 2021 inflation rate of 2.6%, and is reflected in the Social Security (Amendment) Regulations 2022. This will see weekly IRB rise from £73 to £75, and weekly BIP rise from £75.50 to £77.50.
- Utilities tariff restructure: A restructure of Connect Saint Helena Ltd’s utilities tariffs was endorsed, and an untargeted subsidy of £1.35m was allocated, to prevent the rising cost of fuel from causing a 40% increase to all consumer utilities costs. Between May and July 2022, the cost per unit for Connect to generate electricity rose 41%. Therefore, without intervention, consumer tariffs would have risen from 30p to 42p for domestic consumers (using 1,000 units/quarter or less), and from 46p to 65p for all other consumers. Instead, with intervention, all consumers from 1 October 2022 will pay 39p/unit. This proposed change in the tariff structure is still to be agreed by the Utilities Regulatory Authority.
- Lowest-income utilities credit: From 1 October 2022, eligible families with incomes below the minimum wage and who have less than £4,000 in savings may apply to receive a quarterly utilities credit of up to £33.
The above changes represent a £1.6milion government contribution to lessening the impacts of the rising cost of living – affected by global inflation and fuel price increases – on the people of St Helena.
Due to budget pressures, it is unlikely that St Helena Government (SHG) would be able to consider any support measures further to those listed above. Ministers expect importers and traders will pass on the benefits to the wider community.
These policy changes will be reviewed early in the New Year, prior to the 31 March 2023 expiry. A link to the Customs & Excise (Amendment) Regulations 2022 is available here: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/LN-16-Customs-and-Excise-Tariffs-and-ExemptionsAmendment-Regulations-2022
SHG
8 August 2022
Waste Management Services (WMS) have produced their first bale of compacted waste plastic in the newly developed Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) at Horse Point Landfill Site (HPLS).
Astonishingly, it took 42 (forty two) wheelie bins full of mixed plastic, that was recovered from the Public Recycling Facility within HPLS, to create the bale. Plastic is automatically loaded into the baler and compacted multiple times until there is sufficient material to create a bale, after which it is automatically ejected and ready for reuse. The whole process requires minimal manual handling and is not labour intensive.
Whilst WMS intend to use the plastic waste bales like ‘Lego’ within the site to support landscaping, initially as a bund for the next layer of the bulky waste cell, which will reduce the need for the high volume of excavated soil ordinarily required (soil is a precious resource within the landfill operation), WMS are keen to support private sector use of the bales in line with Goal 3 of the Waste Management Implementation Plan ‘Support existing reduce, reuse and recycle activities and encourage/promote the development of new initiatives’. Persons interested in recycling plastic, through a public / private partnership are invited to contact Environmental Risk Manager, Mike Durnford, on tel: 24724 or via email: mike.durnford@sainthelena.gov.sh.
Landfill Manager, Patrick Crowie, commented:
“When asked what my job is at HPLS I used to say I bury money, because all waste is a potential resource with value. Now I am proud to say that I manage landfill reduction through operation of a Materials Recycling Facility. I encourage the public to dispose of their recyclable waste in the bins provided in order to maximise the remaining useful life of HPLS.”
The public are reminded that recycling bins are located throughout the Island. Bin colours relate to recyclable waste types as follows: red bins for glass, blue bins for aluminium drink cans, grey bins for plastics (once relocated – when no longer required for home quarantine) and Olympic bins which facilitate the disposal of all three wastes for recycling as signposted on the bin. Textiles can be disposed in the relevant area within the Public Recycling Facility at HPLS.
The development of the Materials Recycling Facility was generously funded by the UK Government, through the Climate Change strand of the FCDO’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) Overseas Territories Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Programme.
Environmental Risk Manager, Mike Durnford, commented:
“The Materials Recycling Facility (known as a MRF) has been developed to process waste aluminium drink cans, plastics, cardboard and textiles for recycling, with a public / private partnership already established for aluminium drink cans. To support the MRF’s output, WMS intend to introduce a recyclable waste collection service from homes and businesses in addition to the existing weekly waste collection service (subject to availability of a specialist recyclable waste collection vehicle within an external funding deadline). Once established the collection and recycling of high volume / value wastes like those aforementioned will significantly contribute to a reduction in landfill. We are grateful for the continuous support from the CSSF Program to enable this.”
Attached is a photo of the Landfill Manager and Operators in the Materials Recycling Facility at Horse Point Landfill Site.
‘Living with COVID’ Update: there are currently no planned changes to waste management services. Any necessary changes required will be communicated before implementation. Residents are requested to clean their wheelie bin regularly.
Waste Management Services ‘working in partnership with customers for a cleaner and greener St Helena’.
#StHelena #WMS #PlasticRecycling #AltogetherGreener
SHG
8 August 2022
St Helena Government would like to inform members of the public that an amendment has been made to the COVID-19 Guidance Booklet.
The amendment has been made on page 5 of the document and refers to a ‘List specifically compiled for St Helena of conditions that might put people at a slightly increased risk from COVID-19’. This replaces the original List.
Hard copies of the booklet are available at the Public Library in Jamestown and a digital version can be accessed on the Coronavirus page of the SHG website via:
https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/coronavirus-covid-19/evidence-statistics/.
The COVID-19 Guidance Booklet is an evolving document which will be adapted to reflect the advice and guidance as changes occur.
SHG
4 August 2022
An engineer from Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) will arrive on-Island on Saturday, 13 August 2022, to undertake the following tasks in conjunction with the Fibre Optic Cable Project:
- Witness all segment commissioning activities, as detailed in the Daily Progress Report
- Review all test results and sign off on all acceptance test certificates
- Identify any non-compliant results and make specific recommendations and remedial actions.
The ASN engineer will also work closely with SHG’s Equiano Project Manager to track any non-conformances using Client Incident Reports or similar.
SHG’s Equiano Project Manager, Jeremy Roberts, commented:
“The segment commissioning activities, which the ASN engineer will undertake during his stay on the Island, will allow for SHG’s branch of the Equiano System to be fully tested before the ‘Go-Live’ date.”
#StHelena #CableProject #GoogleEquianoCable
SHG
2 August 2022
Following routine testing on Saturday, 30, July 2022 positive COVID-19 case(s) were identified in Home Quarantine.
All COVID-19 protocols are being followed.
Members of the public should continue to practice good respiratory and hand hygiene and are thanked for your continued cooperation.
With regard to the person(s) testing positive for COVID-19 in home quarantine on Friday, 22, July 2022, the public is advised that following negative test results, said person(s) have now completed their quarantine period in compliance with St Helena’s COVID-19 protocols.
SHG
2 August 2022
The United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA) Mental Health webinar was held on Monday, 18 July 2022. This was the third webinar organised by UKOTA and on Mental Health in the Workplace.
The webinar was facilitated by UKOTAs Health Improvement Lead, Ian Walker, from the UK Government’s Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
Ministers, Portfolio Directors, Managers, TRiM Practitioners, Mental Health First Aiders and Human Resources staff within SHG joined the webinar virtually.
The webinar included an introduction from the Premier of the Turks & Caicos Islands and President of UKOTA, the Honourable Charles Washington Misick, and presentations from Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Counsellor, Tori Burgess, who spoke about Bermuda’s EAP; Clinical Psychologist from Montserrat’s Ministry of Health, Adegboyega Bamisile, who spoke about workplace mental health and their local experience in Montserrat; and Employment Relations Manager from the HR Department in British Virgin Islands and Noreen Callwood-Lewis, who gave an overview of EAP and Community Outreach.
St Helena’s Mental Health Team Lead & Community Psychiatric Nurse, Ian Rummary, also made a presentation and spoke about St Helena’s Trauma Risk Management Programme (TRiM).
Ian explained the purpose of TRiM (a trauma-focused peer support system designed to help people who have experienced a traumatic event). On St Helena eight SHG employees have underwent the TRiM practitioner training and four have gone on to be trained to become TRiM managers.
The UKOTA Mental Health webinar was also attended virtually by Chief Minister, Julie Thomas who spoke about the training undertaken in the St Helena Public Service which included;
- Commissioning Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England to deliver awareness training to 75 senior managers in the Public Service in February 2021, which laid the groundwork by introducing the idea of talking about mental health.
- Mental Health First Aider training was offered in May 2022 with an on-island MHFA Practitioner.
The continuous mental health training and mental health initiatives launched within the St Helena public service displays the commitment towards talking and focusing on mental health in the workplace.
#StHelena #UKOTA #Webinar #MentalHealth
https://www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/
SHG
2 August 2022
The Health Services Directorate would like to inform any persons who may require medical assessments for overseas employment of the following:
- Persons must check for all of the requirements listed within the form for an employment medical assessment as these can often require blood screening tests
- It is the persons responsibility to ensure they have booked all of the necessary screening/tests required for the medical assessment
- If blood screens are required, persons must ensure that these have been carried out prior to the general assessment required with a doctor or nurse
- Blood screening tests can be booked directly with the Laboratory. Persons are asked to please arrange this at least a week before the assessment. The Laboratory can be contacted on tel: 22500
- Appointments for medical assessment with the Community Nursing team can be made through the Appointments Clerk on tel: 22321
- The Community Nursing team will require proof of payment before assessments can be signed and finalised. Persons are therefore asked to make payment to the Appointments Clerk or the Pharmacy prior to the medical assessment and to keep their receipt of payments.
If you have any further queries, please contact the Community Nursing team at the Half Tree Hollow Clinic on tel: 23563
SHG
1 August 2022
Following routine testing on Saturday, 16, July 2022, positive COVID-19 case(s) were identified in Home Quarantine, the person(s) have since completed their quarantine period following negative test results.
On Friday, 22, July 2022 further positive cases were identified following routine testing and therefore remain in home quarantine.
All COVID-19 protocols are being followed.
Members of the public should continue to practice good respiratory and hand hygiene and are thanked for your continued cooperation.
The public will be updated when there are no longer positive cases in quarantine.
St Helena’s current COVID-19 testing protocol requires testing to be undertaken on arrival to St Helena upon entering the 7/10 day quarantine period. The next test is carried out on Day 6/9. Currently there is no routine testing undertaken to detect if a person(s) status has changed before Day 6/9.
SHG
29 July 2022