H1N1 Influenza Pandemic Funding: expenditure approval (P.174/2009) – second amendment.

STATES OF JERSEY

r

H1N1 INFLUENZA PANDEMIC FUNDING: EXPENDITURE APPROVAL (P.174/2009) – SECOND AMENDMENT

Lodged au Greffe on 16th November 2009 by the Minister for Treasury and Resources

STATES GREFFE

2009   Price code: B  P.174 Amd.(2)

H1N1 INFLUENZA PANDEMIC FUNDING: EXPENDITURE APPROVAL (P.174/2009) – SECOND AMENDMENT

1  PAGE 2, PARAGRAPH (a) –

For the amount "£1,347,000", substitute "£1,725,000". 2  PAGE 2, PARAGRAPH (b) –

For the amount "£4,200,000", substitute "£3,822,000".

MINISTER FOR TREASURY AND RESOURCES

REPORT

H1N1 Influenza Vaccination Programme Funding

Background

1. P.174/2009 reported that the States' Pandemic Flu Co-ordinating Group had advised the Minister for Treasury and Resources that a major wave of illness due to pandemic influenza A H1N1 2009 (swine flu) is expected this autumn/ winter and that action was needed urgently to reduce the impact on the people of Jersey.
2. The Minister  approved  £1,347,000  of  immediate  expenditure  under Article 16(3) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005.
3. P.174/2009 asks the States to approve this expenditure under Article 16(3) and also  consider  establishing  a  contingency  fund  under  Article 11(8)  of  the Public  Finances  (Jersey)  Law  2005  to manage  the  consequences  of  the influenza pandemic.

Vaccination Programme

4. A key element of the containment phase of the process is the vaccination programme. The aim of the vaccination programme isto offer vaccination to all Islanders to protect them from the effects of this flu pandemic. If the vaccine programme can be completed ahead of the major wave, then the number  of  people  experiencing  the  effects  of  flu  would  be  considerably reduced. This in turn would reduce work absenteeism, reduce losses to the economy and of course reduce the pressure on the hospital.
5. The vaccination programme is underway and progressing well. Phase 1 of the programme has involved immunising healthcare workers, pregnant women and  women  who  have  recently  given  birth.  In  addition, patients  on renal dialysis have been immunised within the first phase by Health and Social Services (H&SS) staff, as have staff and residents of residential care homes. General Practitioners are immunising those in clinical at-risk groups, starting with the youngest patients first and then progressing through the age cohorts; in addition  G.P.s  are  immunising  family  members  of  those  who  are immunosuppressed.
6. Phase 2  (start  date  11th  November)  involves  offering  immunisation  to 16,000 nursery and school-age children. These vaccinations will be delivered by H&SS nurse immunisers over 6 days.
7. Phase 3a will involve offering swine flu vaccinations to teachers, carers and to essential workers, including Police, Fire Service and Prison Officers. Phase 3b will involve offering vaccine to the general public.
8. Funding for the first stage of the vaccination programme was authorised by the  Minister  for  Treasury  and  Resources  in September  2009.  In  order  to ensure  that  the  vaccination  programme  can  progress  without  delay  and therefore provide the maximum possible protection to Islanders, the Pandemic Flu Steering Group, including the States' Medical Officer of Health, requested that the Minister approve the remaining expenditure relating to the vaccination programme under Article 16(3) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005.

Page - 4

P.174/2009 Amd.(2)

Financial and manpower implications

9. The cost  of  completing  the  vaccination  programme  is estimated  to be approximately £378,000, bringing the total cost of delivering the vaccination programme to £440,000.
10. This approval has the effect of increasing the expenditure approval under Article 16(3) to £1,725,000 and reducing the expenditure approval requested under Article 11(8) to £3,822,000, as detailed in P.174/2009. The net effect being no change in the overall total.
11. As  stated  in P.174/2009,  there  are  no  additional  permanent  manpower implications arising from this proposal, additional staffing requirements will be met through overtime and temporary appointments.