April 20th 2009
OVERVIEW OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INSPECTORATE OF HEALTH SINT MAARTEN
As of April 15, 2009 the island government, in cooperation with the Dutch Inspectorate of Health and the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare & Sports, appointed Mr. Robert (Rob) Cornelis Sardeman for a period of 1 year to establish the new Inspectorate of Health for Country Sint Maarten. He will not only set up health inspectorate but health social services and labor inspectorate, which reflects the situation to be established in the new constitutional structure (ministry). (VSA – Public Health, Social Services and Labour).
The establishment of the new Inspectorate of health is part of the Cooperation-project "Growth in motion (Groei in Beweging)" to strengthen the civil apparatus of Sint Maarten in preparation of country status. The objective is to determine if and under what minimum-conditions the establishment of a new independent Inspectorate of Health is possible within the framework of constitutional changes to Country Sint Maarten. As interim R. Sardeman has the task to ensure that an effective Inspectorate agency is set up to secure safety for citizens in the above mentioned areas and therefore have a positive effect on the quality of services.
Mr. Rob Sardeman is a general practitioner with a vast experience in the Dutch Inspectorate of Health. Mr. Sardeman will be full-filling the function of Inspector-General. He has been given the assignment to develop a detailed plan of action within one month-period.
The new inspectorate of health, (social services and labour) will be based on the principles of planning and control, whereby the yearly planning of the activities will take place on basis of risks-analysis and with a yearly assessment of the output.
The general objective of the new Inspectorate of Health will be:
"to provide an efficient and effective manner of supervision of public health, healthcare, supply of medicines, food safety, daycare centers and other social institutions on a collective- and individual level to ensure the promotion and safeguarding of a qualitative high level of public health and healthcare for the citizens of Sint Maarten". Labor inspections in the interest of labor laws and occupational health
The following new functions among others will be created:
· The supervision of cure activities (on institutional and individual level);
· The supervision of care activities (on institutional and individual level);
· The supervision of the supply of medicines and ionizing radiation;
· The supervision of public health;
· The contribution to international cooperation with regards to the detention of narcotic- & psychotropic substances and chemicals;
· The handling of complaints;
· Giving requested and/or non-requested advise to the local government and Ministry;
· The registration of medical institutions and/of medical professionals;
· Informing and communicating to the public of executed supervisions and inspections.
In the start up phase, the following activities among others will be carried out:
· expanding the present personnel of the hygiene and veterinary affairs and labor inspection by recruiting more qualified personnel; also merging of labor tasks and inspection of daycare..
· establishing the operational budget of the inspectorate;
· training of personnel;
· acquiring new ICT-software/hardware;
· setting up a digital archiving-system,
· building a website etc.
It is important that the new Inspectorate of Health should be able to execute their tasks independently by acquiring the legal authority from the Central Government; have a minimal personnel formation; and have an operational budget to conduct their work as efficiently and effectively as possible. Besides these aspects, the present Federal ordinance of the Inspectorate of Public Health of the Netherlands Antilles should be adjusted to the new situation, whereby the autonomy of the supervision of the new Inspectorate of Health is strengthened.
Finally, by means of establishing the Inspectorate of Health the objective is to improve health care services for the people of St. Maarten.
As we review several options, the transfer of this Central Government responsibility is targeted for July first 2009.