The St Helena Government (SHG) wishes to inform the public that effective from 1 October 2026, a small 2% adjustment will be introduced for Health and Social Care service fees and charges. This modest adjustment will be applied gradually over the next three years to help support and protect our essential health services for everyone on the island. In addition to this there will also be an increase on commercial fees for this period.
Resident fees have remained fixed since April 2021. In the five years since, the cost of providing care has increased significantly, driven by global rises in medical supplies prices, rising freight charges, and the growing need for specialised overseas medical referrals. At present, patient fee contributions cover just 3.1% of the overall Health and Social Care running costs, with the remainder funded through Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) aid and local taxation.
To keep care affordable for our community, the modest 2% adjustment has been set purposefully low. It remains:
- Below St Helena’s local inflation forecast
- Below the cost increases faced by the NHS in the UK
- Well below the global average 10% annual rise in medical expenses
What the Changes Mean for Charges (Effective 1 October 2026)
- Prescription Fees: Moving from £2.60 to £2.65 per item (rising to £2.70 in 2027/28 and £2.75 in 2028/29) – a 5p increase year on year
- Hospital General Ward: Moving from £13.85 to £14.15 per day – a 30p per day increase
- CT Scan: Moving from £20.55 to £20.95 – a 40p increase
- Dental Examination: Moving from £10.30 to £10.50 – a 20p increase
- Social Care Services: A 2% adjustment, supported by ongoing hardship reviews to protect those who need assistance
Minister for Health and Social Care, Martin Henry, commented:
“Although this is a very modest adjustment and the first change since 2021, this decision was not taken lightly. We fully understand that households across St Helena are feeling the weight of rising living costs, and we know that no one wishes to see fees increase, especially when household budgets are tight.
However, with medical costs both locally and overseas growing far faster than our revenue, and with our community growing older and needing more complex care, taking no action would put the services we all depend on at risk. A 2% increase is the minimum necessary to help sustain our health service, and it remains far below the actual cost of delivering medicines and care to our residents.
Most importantly, I want to reassure everyone that no one will ever be turned away from receiving care because they cannot afford it. Strong, compassionate hardship provisions are in place to support anyone who needs them.”
Protecting Our Community and Supporting Those in Need
The Health and Social Care Portfolio recognises that any change, however small, can be stressful, particularly for residents, our elderly community, and families already working hard to manage daily expenses. We are fully committed to ensuring that no resident is left behind or without support:
- Anyone experiencing financial hardship can apply for a fee reduction or waiver through the Admissions Panel and Adult Support Team contactable at 25949.
- If prescription costs create genuine difficulty, cases can be referred for exceptional consideration to ensure necessary treatments remain available to you.
- Access to health and social care services will always be guided by clinical need, never by an individual’s financial situation.
- All existing safeguards remain fully in place, including free care for children under 16 years, and for young people aged 17–18 years in full-time education, and eligibility rules for resident rates.
#StHelena #HealthandSocialCare #Increaseincharges