Our Island, Our Health 2007; The Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health 2007

Health and Social Services Department
News Release: 16th July 2007

In her second independent report on the Island’s health, the Medical Officer of Health, Dr Rosemary Geller reports that, in general, Islander's health is good. She does, however, call for Jersey to be a world leader in this area and makes a series of recommendations to Government, States Departments and for Islanders themselves to consider.

Headlines from the report include:

Reducing health inequalities in our society will mean giving extra help to socially disadvantaged communities particularly within St Helier.

Despite worries at the time, since termination of pregnancy was legalised in Jersey, terminations have reduced by a third.

Suicide is a rare but devastating event. The suicide rate in Jersey is high but declining gradually.

Whilst most Islanders drink alcohol in moderation, ‘binge drinking’ is a new-style drinking culture that is a problem for around a third of young Jersey adults.

The Jersey smoking ban has been an unqualified success. Dr Geller says “Even I have been surprised by the overwhelming positive response and the smooth implementation of the ban. I am looking forward to seeing smoking, and the associated adverse health effects, plummet during the next few years”.

Lack of space tops Islanders’ housing worry list. 7% of responders to the Social Survey feel that their housing conditions make their health worse.

Immunisation coverage in Jersey for pre-school children is worse than for the UK. This must improve if we are to prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases which could kill some island children and leave others permanently disabled.

Developing primary care services, with better preventive services and services for people with long-term health problems, could make a substantial, positive impact on health. New prescribing standards could also save lives e.g. limiting Fentanyl prescribing.

The full report can be accessed here