THERE needs to be a better understanding of the Island’s most vulnerable citizens and their needs in times of crisis, a report into the government’s handling of the pandemic has concluded.
The report, which was published today by an independent panel of judges, found the government ‘did a good job’ dealing with Covid-19, but recommended ‘more foresight, better leadership or greater capacity to work collaboratively’.
One of its 16 recommendations stemmed from shortcomings in protecting the Island’s most vulnerable citizens.
The report stated: ‘In an emergency, there is a high expectation that the government will both protect its most vulnerable and be sensitive to the needs of different communities. This starts with a closer knowledge than Jersey has now, including a closer knowledge of those living on the margins of the community, of those with mental-health issues and of those overseas workers who have been in Jersey for fewer than five years.
‘In a crisis, these groups are likely to suffer more than most.’
The report’s other recommendations include:
- Improving the Island’s outdated emergency legislation.
- The appointment of a chief scientist to help co-ordinate and analyse developing scientific information.
- Improved communication.
- Co-opting assistance from outside government.
- Better data-sharing and more rigorous emergency planning with appropriate rehearsal for contingencies such as a pandemic.
The report added: ‘We have concluded that, overall, the government did a good job… But people in Jersey have high expectations of their government and not everything went as well as it might.
‘We list 21 areas where we have heard of well-founded disappointment in Jersey, or where our judgment is that more foresight, better leadership or a greater capacity to work collaboratively would have encouraged a more satisfied population.’
Commenting on the report, panel chair Sir Derek Myers – who was the first joint chief executive of two London borough councils and a former non-executive director at the UK department of health – noted that, at the end of May this year, 129 lives had been lost to Covid [a number which has since risen to 142].
‘Nothing can bring those individuals back. We believe our report can, however, help any government of Jersey to be better prepared, make better decisions and communicate better in any further comparable future crisis,’ he said.
Government chief executive Suzanne Wylie said she wanted to thank the panel – which also comprised Professor Maggie Rae and Sir Richard Gozney – for delivering its report in a timely fashion, and she said the government’s thoughts lay with those who had lost loved ones during the pandemic as well as those who had faced hardship.
‘While the panel found that, overall, the government did a good job, I am grateful for its recommendations, which will be presented to the Assembly and an action plan developed so that, as an island, we can be better prepared in future,’ she said.
Background to the review
- The independent panel of experts was set up following a successful amendment to last year’s Government Plan.
- Constable Mike Jackson requested £500,000 to fund the rapid review and suggested that the report could be available by the end of April this year.
- However, it was agreed, following ministerial push-back against the timescale, that the review be completed by the end of July.
