Issue 112 - Autumn 2013

UPDATE magazineTHE FULL SPECTRUM OF LIFE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE

ISSUE 112 | AUTUMN 2013

UPDATE magazine FAILT - WELCOME

01 | UPDATE ||| AUTUMN 2013

The next edition of Update will be published in early December. Articles should be submitted to [email protected]

Cover image by Allan Brown, Water and Sewerage Authority. Design and layout by Peter Jones. Email: [email protected]

When we are no longer able to change a situation- we are challenged to change ourselves.

CONTACTS

THE TIMES, THEY ARE A CHANGING Welcome to this autumn edition of Update.

Whilst I wasn’t planning on mentioning the weather again (see Spring issue where spring was yet to arrive), I feel it would be remiss of me not to at least mention the equally remarkable weather we have had this summer. Such glorious sizzling sunny days we’ve had, day after day. Wouldn’t it be good if we could somehow flick a switch and choose to have an endless summer! But perhaps we would get bored and tire of the sameness every day without the changing seasons.

Change is another common theme in this edition of Update. Whether we like it or not, we have to learn to live with change in our workplaces. We seem to have migrated to Microsoft Office 2010 without too much upset. But how will our customers manage with the new Government website? The areas we work in are being reviewed, what changes are ahead for us all? These are just some of the articles included in this edition of Update.

One such area that is reviewing how it functions is the Criminal Justice System. I hope you enjoy reading about the collaborative approach they have adopted to review their processes.

I’d like to give you some advance warning of some changes afoot for Update. The next edition of Update will be published as an e-magazine only which in time will make it more able to support the use of digital platforms, including video, YouTube and podcasts.

Thank you to those who have contributed to this supersized edition of Update. I look forward to receiving more of your stories about your workplace, whether it is of a work or social nature. Happy reading and as usual I look forward to hearing from you.

Tanya SandersonEditor, Office of Human Resources, St Andrew’s House, Douglas

UPDATE magazine


AGENDA FOR CHANGE

CHIEF MINISTER ALLAN BELL MHK has praised the Government’s workforce for its continuing commitment to public service during a period of challenge and change.

Mr Bell was speaking during his summer programme of visits to Departments, when he met frontline staff as well as senior management.

He commented: ‘I have been incredibly impressed by the enthusiasm of the staff, by their dedication and commitment to serving the public of the Isle of Man in what can sometimes be difficult circumstances. Their professionalism and pride in the job are undiminished.

‘Staff recognise that Government is facing unprecedented challenges, but they want to be part of the solution and they have positive suggestions for change. I hope that by working together collectively we can overcome these challenges.’

Mr Bell acknowledged that many employees were uncertain about the future, particularly in relation to the comprehensive review of services taking place as par t of the Scope of Government initiative.

He said: ‘We do have to re-examine our services to see what can be delivered differently and better, but I recognise that the uncertainty is unsettling for staff and that clarification is needed as soon as possible. Clear communication within Departments is essential as the process of change moves forward so that everyone understands what is happening and why.’

CHIEF MINISTER PRAISES STAFF FOR ‘DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT’

The Government’s new website was successfully launched last week. This new site has a fresh approach to the way information and services from Government are displayed, arranging information around services and themes rather than around the structure of Government.

It is the culmination of work by the Customer First team which had a test site available for the past 12 months. Feedback has been received from the public and Government staff which has assisted with improvements to the site.

As well as providing easier access to information and services, one of the main aims of the new design is to reduce

the numbers of people calling or visiting Government with simple, easy to resolve queries, helping Departments to meet the challenge of trying to maintain service levels whilst reducing budgets.

Although the new site will be easier to use, there may be an initial bedding in period as customers get used to the new layout and approach. In the short term, this may mean a small increase in telephone or face to face contacts.

It is expected that this activity will soon revert to normal levels, but those staff with responsibility for front line customer contact should be aware that this may be a possibility.

NEW GOVERNMENT WEBSITE

“I have been incredibly impressed by the enthusiasm of the staff, by their dedication and commitment to serving the public of

the Isle of Man.”

UPDATE magazine


MOVERS & SHAKERS

ELLEN CALLISTER, Secretary to the Tynwald Advisory Council for Disabilities since January 2012, would like to thank everyone who has supported her in this interesting role over the past 20 months.

Opening up the position of TACD Secretary as a Career Development Opportunity via LODD has proved a great success. Ellen has recently been promoted to Head of Hansard within the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office, stepping up from her previous Deputy post within the team.

Ellen told Update, ‘Being TACD Secretary has really developed my time management, organisation, communication skills and self-confidence, and I’ve learned an incredible amount, which I believe will stand me in good stead for my career in future.’

She went on to explain how she has tried to make TACD communications much more electronic than previously, by setting up the website (www.tacd.im) and using e-mail as much as possible, thereby saving time and expense and making information more easily distributable. She has also particularly enjoyed the networking aspect of the role, building up her contacts with various officers within the public sector and the wider community.

With her increased commitments, Ellen now feels the time is right to hand the post over to someone else. That person is Tanya Shimmin, currently working as admin support with the Department of Social Care’s Adult Services Access Team. Update wishes Tanya success with this exciting new venture.

If you are interested in this sort of career development opportunity, please contact LODD on 685724, or email [email protected]

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS

The introduction of a centralised Government procurement service has helped to generate savings of more than £2 million over the past two years.

Officers from across Government Departments were brought together in April 2011 to create a specialist procurement team based within Treasury.

The main focus was on achieving better value for taxpayers’ money while supporting the local economy wherever possible. The central team was also tasked with improving standards, efficiency and transparency in respect of the Government tender process and award of contracts. The new co-ordinated approach to buying goods and services is continuing to make an important contribution to the rebalancing of Government finances.

The seven-strong central team led by Neil Davidson, Government’s Head of Procurement, became operational on 1 April 2011. In addition to securing cost savings through

a more consistent and joined-up approach to purchasing, the team was also set up to ensure:

• Contracts are awarded as the result of a clear and open competition

• All suppliers are given the opportunity to bid for Government contracts

• All suppliers are treated fairly and equally

Collaborative working between Treasury and other departments has so far resulted in a 150% increase in Government tender activity, and the development of a new standard tender process which is far quicker than its UK equivalent.

Linda Dunwell can be contact for more information on 685562 or at [email protected]

PROCUREMENT UPDATE

Ellen Callister and Tanya Shimmin with Bailey

UPDATE magazine


SCOPE OF GOVERNMENT

In January 2013, the Council of Ministers put their response to the review of the Scope of Government Report before Tynwald. Recommendation two of the report had huge consequences for everyone in Government today. It stated that Government would review and examine all of its services and consider whether they could be delivered by ‘alternative means’ and report back by 31st December 2013.

When you consider the extent of the services which the Isle of Man Government delivers, this was always going to be an ambitious and daunting task. All services are being reviewed with consideration given as to how the service could be run differently and how the cost of the service compares to other similar services either on or off-Island.

This is probably the most high profile project in the Isle of Man Government at the current time. Recognising the importance, scale and complexity of the work, the Chief Secretary appointed Colin Kniveton as Chief Officer, Scope of Government Review, to lead the project in April.

Four months on, Colin is really enjoying the role: “I think there was a mixed response at first and I was really mindful of the existing workloads that senior officers already have. When people began to realise how vitally important this work is to the future of Government, they really started getting stuck in to the review work. What most people have found is that the review process has given them the opportunity to look at their service in real detail and highlighted areas where improvements and cost savings can be made.”

Once the reviews have been completed (26 September), the information provided will be assessed along with any recommendations for change.

This is just the star t of the process of looking at what Government does, to ensure that it provides its core services in the most effective and sustainable way possible for the future of the people of the Isle of Man.

SCOPE OF GOVERNMENT REVIEW PROJECT

SOME OF WHAT GOVERNMENT DOES:

• Runs the airport, harbours, buses, schools and hospitals

• Provides cradle to grave care for the vulnerable

• Keeps people safe, educates children

• Licenses dogs, fishing, drivers and vehicles

• Provides public sector housing, clean water and electricity

The Scheme aims to harmonise and simplify the current provisions, provide a good level of compensation for those who experience compulsory or voluntary redundancy and to break the automatic link to early retirement pension. The terms have been negotiated through a Working Group of the Public Sector Pension Authority consisting of Employer and Union representatives of affected workers.

Further details can be found at the following web address: www.iomunifiedscheme.im/news/Pages/News.aspx

A three month period of consultation on the draft scheme has commenced. Any comments you wish to make in relation to the scheme should be forwarded by midday Friday 4 October 2013 to [email protected] or via your union representative.

A number of roadshows to explain the Scheme in more detail have already taken place with more scheduled as below. The Port Erin event is fully booked, but you are free to visit others.

PUBLIC SECTOR COMPENSATION SCHEME 2013 CONSULTATION AND ROADSHOWS

EMPLOYMENT GROUPS AFFECTED:

• Civil Service and analogous groups

• Manual Workers

• NHS Employees

“What most people have found is that the review process has given them the opportunity to look at their service in real detail and highlighted areas where improvements

and cost savings can be made.”

ROAD SHOW DATES:

• Tues 10 Sept 1pm Barool Suite, House of Keys

• Wed 11 Sept 1pm Barool Suite, House of Keys

• Thurs 19 Sept 1pm St Paul’s Church Hall, Ramsey

• Thurs 19 Sept 5pm Port Erin - FULLY BOOKED

Colin Kniveton

UPDATE magazine


SPECIAL REPORT

Crime, or the fear of crime plays a large part in the media, and being ‘tough on crime’ is seen as a political issue. However, the reality of locking people up is that unless efforts are made to understand and change the offending behaviour, little will have changed apart from disruption to home and work life whilst inside.

The work of the Criminal Justice Service has many aspects from arresting and charging people, preparing the paperwork to go to court, attending court as a clerk, locking them up in a cell and undertaking probation and rehabilitation work in the community.

The Criminal Justice Project is reviewing all aspects of work and policies used in keeping the community safe and if you are interested in playing a part in the changes, please get in touch.

ISLE OF MAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICE

In December 2012, Tynwald unanimously approved the Criminal Justice Strategy which set out the vision for reform for dealing with criminal justice on the Isle of Man.

The Strategy recognised that prison should be reserved for the most serious and persistent offenders and this will require a focus on community sentences, rehabilitation and working with other Departments such as Social Care, Health and Education to try to prevent people entering the system.

As part of the work already undertaken the Department of Home Affairs has taken on political responsibility for achieving the strategy. Our partners in the project are:- General Registry, Isle of Man Police, Attorney General’s Chambers, Prison and Probation Service, Victim Support and the Law Society. My role as project manager is to co-ordinate the workstreams which have been allocated to the people doing the day job. The aims of the Strategy are far reaching and require a lot of cross-government working and the project team have been identified as leaders and influencers in achieving the goals required.

The IOM Law Society has relished the opportunity to work with the Criminal Justice Board in developing the Criminal Justice Strategy. One of the particular strengths of this model of problem solving has been the opportunity for co-operation for all those organisations involved in delivering the criminal justice service for the benefit of our community.

Defence Advocates have as great an interest as anyone in ensuring that the innocent go free whilst those guilty of offences charged are appropriately punished and rehabilitated. It is a fundamental precept in our society that every defendant is innocent until proved guilty. Advocates, whether paid privately or by the State, are a key element in ensuring that justice is accessed and administered fairly and impartially.

The Law Society has been able to provide early challenge to proposed developments which could compromise that objective whilst helping with process remodelling to achieve a more efficient service. In particular, at present, we are addressing the role of the advocate with regard to vulnerable clients; witnesses and victims whether that vulnerability arises by reason of physical or mental impairment; poverty or maturity.

SALLY-ANN CAINCriminal Justice Project Manager, Department of Home Affairs

The Sopranos, Porridge, The Bill, Prisoners Wives, The Wire, Se7en, CSI, Crown Court, LA Law, Prime Suspect, The Shawshank Redemption, The Ladykillers, Luther, The Italian Job, Despicable Me...

Trying to think of a film or television programme these days that doesn’t involve crime or criminals, or police or solving crime can be difficult. Here on the Isle of Man we are lucky to enjoy a very high quality of life and most feel it is a safe place to live and work. However, we are not totally crime free and whilst the majority of offences are lower level and road traffic, there are a small minority of crimes that take place that that can affect people greatly, and change lives and futures.

“The aims of the Strategy are far reaching and require a lot of cross-government working.”

JANE O’ROURKEChief Executive Officer, Isle of Man Law Society

Sally-Ann Cain

Jane O’Rourke

Cont...

As clerk to the Deputy High Bailiff for criminal matters in the Summary Courts Team at the Isle of Man Courts of Justice, I organise and prepare the twice weekly criminal courts in the Summary Jurisdiction. We handle a wide variety of criminal cases, from minor motoring offences to murder and everything in between.

There are four people in the team, and between us we provide support to the criminal courts run by the Deputy High Bailiff, High Bailiff and Magistrates as well as the Licensing Courts, some Family matters, Care Proceedings, Immigration Appeals, Coroner of Inquests work and others. We are responsible for completing bail bonds, remand warrants etc, ensuring the proceedings are being recorded, and all this whilst resulting the cases on our system!

These weekly criminal courts also generate a vast amount of paperwork, from Legal Aid certificates and bail condition variations to the endorsement of driving licences. We also liaise with advocates, prosecutors, members of the public, the press, witnesses, defendants, Victim Support, Probation, other government departments, and of course members of the Judiciary, both in and out of court. The job therefore requires a high level of sensitivity and diplomacy.

My work is crucial to the smooth running of the courts and the justice system as a whole. There is a high volume of work that comes through the Courts, and I need to process it all accurately and in a timely fashion. The job is constantly challenging and interesting - there’s always something new!

Victim Support supports those affected by crime, be it the victim, witnesses, their family or friends. We support those affected by all types of crime from criminal damage up to murder and manslaughter and everything in between.

We provide emotional support (but not counselling) and practical help. The practical help can range from explaining what happens when somebody reports a crime to the Police, to explaining and showing victims and witnesses around the courtroom, as well as support on the day.

We can assist them to complete a criminal injury compensation form, to providing them with information as to what happened with that particular criminal case at court that day. After sentencing, we often liaise with the victim and seek their views about the offender’s release into the community.

The organisation is small. We have one full-time, two part-time staff and eight volunteers. Victim Support is a charity and it receives some funding from the Department of Home Affairs to assist us to undertake this work.

The organisation has a lot of interaction with the various agencies within the Criminal Justice Service. One of those is the recent interaction and involvement we have with the Criminal Justice Project Team. Victim Support hopes to be able to bring victims and witnesses into the core of the Criminal Justice Service rather than on the perimeter. We want to be able to provide a victim’s perspective into the usually offender dominant system.

UPDATE magazine


SPECIAL REPORT

ISLE OF MAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICE cont.

RACHEL BENNETTCourt Clerk, Summary Courts, General Registry

Letter to the Prison Governor from Prisoner “N” following release:

“Thank you for your help and support over these past difficult months and thank you for helping me get the feedback from report on social services regarding my case, it was very much appreciated.”

Extracts from a letter to the Governor from serving prisoner “M”:

“I have learnt a lot about myself and re-offending has never been further from my mind. I now possess the tools to deny my thoughts and feelings… Again thank you very much for all your help in this situation, for the first time in my life I feel like I have had the help I have needed to progress towards being a decent person.”

Extracts from a letter to the Governor from Young Offender “R” following release:

“Since coming into the prison I have been shown nothing other than respect and fair-play. Having been in prisons in other countries all I can say is that this prison and how the officers conduct their job is not only a credit and asset to you but to the Island as a whole… Many thanks to the professional, caring and understanding staff… I hope that young people such as myself take advantage of what’s on offer here in the prison….”

PAULA GELLINGManager, Isle of Man Victim Support

Rachel Bennett

Paula Gelling


UPDATE magazine

The cancellation of the quiz due to the extreme weather in late March saw a reduction in teams from a full house of 30 down to 18 for the revised date. The quiz was held at the end of April but fortunately the lack of quantity did not result in a lack of quality.

In the Roy Kneale Music Quiz, the top six teams all scored over 70%. In third place with 77% were Best of Elf, runners up with 79% were Criminal Masterminds but the winners with a magnificent 83% were Laura ’n Order. The average score of all 18 teams was 65% with the Artist Anagram round proving the most difficult with an average score of only 44% but the winners managed an excellent score of 76%.

The main quiz had over six question rounds plus two table rounds. It was a tightly fought battle as the top two teams were only separated after two tie-breaks. The average score of all teams was 75% with all teams scoring over 65%. The Manx round proved the most difficult with a 63% average but the top two teams still scored over 80% in this round.

Laura’n Order won the tie-break and therefore have the privilege of organising next year’s Civil Service Quiz! Our thanks to the Masonic Hall for the venue and to this year’s hosts USHTEY who have become regulars quiz organisers over the last six years

The Victors: (Left to right)

Paul De Weerd, Steve Ormerod, Laura Muscutt, Paul Mylchreest, Graham Connor and Richard Carter

CIVIL SERVICE QUIZ

POS TEAM RESULT

1 Laura ‘n Order 84.5%

1 Best of Elf 84.5%

3 Hoof Hearted 83%

4 Here We Go Buggane 81%

5 Les Quizzerables 80.5%

Quick fire round: (answers on page 10)

Q1 Which darts player is sponsored by Foul Fashions?

Q2 WhowasthefirstwomantowinBBC’sSportsPersonalityoftheYear?

Q3 Which Jubilee Line station lies between North Greenwich and West Ham?

Q4 WhichTouristAttractioninBodelvaCornwall,openedtothepublicin May 2000?

Q5 Which rank lies between Captain and Lieutenant Colonel in the BritishArmy?

Q6 WhatistherealnameofGeorgeOrwell?

Q7 What is the link between the answers to questions 3, 4, 5 and 6?

Q8 NamethefirstGovernoroftheIsleofMan

Q9 Between1739and1743,awarwasfoughtbetweenEnglandandSpain,butwhatwasthepeculiarnameofthisWar?

Q10WhowerethethreestarsoftheTVshow‘TheGoodies’?

UPDATE magazine


IN THE COMMUNITYNEW GUINNESS WORLD RECORD SET FOR THREE LEGGED RACE

Do you know what these three civil servants and this old man are up to on Douglas beach?

They were amongst the 1300 people who broke the Guinness World Record for the largest three-legged race in a single venue. The 200m race was held in May of this year and was watched by about 7000 spectators.

Nigel Taylor who works at DEFA teamed up with Voirrey Cowley, senior secretary at OHR. Quintin Gill, social worker with the hospital social work team had the pleasure of running with David Callister who retired from Manx politics this year.

Note from editor: apologies to Mr Callister Snr, I was under instructions from a certain Jon Callister to call you an old man!

He called himself ‘the not so flying Scotsman’ but Stuart McMillan, Environmental Protection Officer at DEFA cycled over 1000miles in 13 days! He rode from Land’s End to John O’Groats at the end of May and raised over £2500 for the Alzheimer’s Society Isle of Man and Alzheimer Scotland. You can read more on his website www.maconabike.com where you can still donate money for his incredible effort.

(Thirteen days and two little panniers, how did you do that!? – Editor)

Stuart setting off from Land’s End on 27 May 2013

STUART’S LAND’S END TO JOHN O’GROATS RIDE

Nigel Taylor, David Callister, Voirrey Cowley and Quintin Gill

Sue Parry raised £274 from the sale of her Mann on the Moon calendars earlier this year. The money was donated to Manx Mencap and was made possible by assistance from Dave at Cannell Printers Ltd and Howard Quayle’s generous donation for the original painting.

Sue, now retired from Treasury, has been producing calendars for about 10 years. She paints under the name of Doris Bagshaw and uses topical Government related themes as her inspiration. Recent themes have been about the refurbishment of the canteen, the transfer of Treasury Shared Services to St Andrew’s House and Government taking over the Steam Packet. The

introduction of Axapta accounting and the progress made was covered in four consecutive years. The originals are sought after items! St Andrew’s House third floor has a gallery of most of them and others have found their way to meeting rooms across Government.

We are looking forward to the 2014 calendar. What will Doris choose to paint this time?

If you would like to commission your own painting for a special occasion such as a retirement, birthday or wedding you can contact Sue at [email protected]

SUE’S CALENDAR RAISES MONEY FOR MENCAP

Last Christmas, over a million underprivileged children from 12 countries across the world received a special shoebox gift thanks to the commitment of supporters and volunteers across the UK. Of this total, the Isle of Man community contributed over 2500 boxes. The Office of Human Resources packed and wrapped 111 boxes made up of gifts donated by staff from across Government.

This Christmas, the Operation Christmas Child volunteers on the Island aim to exceed last year’s impressive total. The Office of Human Resources is once again arranging a collection of items for the Christmas Shoe Box Appeal on behalf of the Samaritan’s Purse.

All donations of shoe boxes, money, gifts etc need to be delivered to 2nd floor, St Andrew’s House, Finch Road, Douglas by 21 October 2013. All gifts should be new. Please include items from each category listed.

For further details please contact Ann Anderson: Call 685768 or email [email protected]

www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk

CHRISTMAS SHOE BOX APPEAL 2013

UPDATE magazine


NO THANK YOU:

• No food, especially chocolate. Only non-chocolate sweets.

• No medicine or vitamins of any kind.

• No war related items, toy guns, soldiers or knives.

• No clothing other than hats, gloves or scarves.

• No fragile items such as glass containers, mirrors.

• No liquids including blow bubbles, shampoo, bubble bath, toiletry sets or aerosols.

• No dangerous items, sharp objects, scissors or razors.

• No novels.

• Nothing of a political nature.

• No hand-knitted stuffed toys.

YES PLEASE PACK THE FOLLOWING:

• Toys Bear, soft toy, finger puppet, jigsaw, yo-yo, building blocks, small musical instruments, trucks, cars, dolls, clip on earrings, tennis ball, etc.

• Educational supplies Felt pens, pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, colouring book, notepad, picture or puzzle book, chalk, pencil case, stickers, etc.

• Hygiene items Toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, comb, hair clips, bar of soap, flannel, etc.

• Other items Sweets (sell by date to be at least March of the following year), gloves, scarf, sunglasses, hat, bangles, necklaces, etc.

- the number of boxes sent by the Manx community


UPDATE magazine

Government has a responsibility to be open and transparent, and improving Government’s communications with the public is an important goal for Chief Minister Allan Bell, MHK. Holding community meetings around the island, where the public can question all Ministers, is one initiative he has introduced. Another, which was launched at the beginning of September, will encourage all departments, board and offices – and especially staff with public relations responsibilities - to think more proactively about keeping the public informed. The Communications Unit in the Chief Secretary’s Office has put into place a news grid system for identifying all Isle of Man Government news as well as significant events in the Isle of Man, UK and Europe that could have an impact on the Island and its residents. “Bringing all this vital information together in one place will help us deliver clearer and stronger messages to the public” said Head of Communications Carol Hunter.

She added: “Members of Government’s Public Relations Officer’s Group will be key partners in ensuring that the news grid is an effective tool. Working closely with Chief Officers and senior management teams, they will be helping us provide Island residents with important information on Government policies and programmes.” Some members of the Public Relations Officer’s Group (PROG), representing departments, boards and offices across Government, are pictured above.

PROG: (Left to right)

Back Row: Jo Overty, DEC; Alison Cottier, MEA; Margaret Crellin, OFT; Alistair Ramsey, CSO; Laura Wasley, DSC; Paul Watson, DCCL; Richard Parslow, CSO

Front Row: Tanya Sanderson, OHR; Lynsey Clague, MNH; Carol Hunter, CSO; Anthony Boyd, DEFA; John Quirk, DOI.

PROG HAS ROLE TO PLAY IN NEW COMMUNICATION INITIATIVE

“Bringing all this vital information together in one place will help us deliver clearer and

stronger messages to the public.”

QUIZ ANSWERS FROM PAGE 10

Q1. Gary Anderson / Q2. Anita Lonsborough / Q3. Canning Town / Q4. Eden Project / Q5. Major / Q6. Eric Blair / Q7. British Prime Ministers / Q8. Henry Hope 1773 – 1775

Q9. The War of Jenkin’s Ear / Q10. Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie, Tim Brooke-Taylor

Putting his body on the line to save the life of a prisoner has led to Prison Officer Tony Jones becoming the first recipient of a new Isle of Man Government award.

The Department of Home Affairs has introduced a Ministerial Commendation to honour members of staff who demonstrate bravery, self-sacrifice or extreme commitment to the protection of the public. Minister Juan Watterson MHK presented Tony with the framed certificate in recognition of his part in a dramatic rescue at the Isle of Man Prison.

The incident occurred in March when a prisoner climbed the railings on the top landing of a wing at the prison, intending to harm himself by throwing himself to the floor below. A prison officer since 1997, Tony spotted the danger unfolding and reacted quickly to break the prisoner’s fall and prevent

him from sustaining serious, possibly life-threatening injuries. Officer and prisoner both emerged relatively unscathed and Tony was able to resume his regular duties just a few minutes later after being checked over by the prison healthcare team.

The Ministerial Commendation has been created by Home Affairs to formally recognise exceptional performance in the course of duty by serving officers of the Department outside the Isle of Man Constabulary, which has its own long-established awards ceremony.

Tony Jones said: ‘It’s an honour to be the first person to receive this new award. The incident itself happened very quickly and I just reacted to the circumstances to protect the welfare of the prisoner involved.’

Members of staff from the Chief Secretary’s Office raised money for three different charities by taking part in this year’s Race the Sun event.

The epic challenge saw runners complete one relay-style lap of the Island’s 98-mile coastal footpath, with the aim of starting at sunrise and finishing before sunset.

The 10-strong team from the Chief Secretary’s Office, named ‘Mission: Marine Before Midnight’, collected a total of £1,500 in sponsorship.

The money was divided between the Children’s Centre, which organises the popular event, Cruse Bereavement Care Isle of Man, and Manx Cancer Help.

Cruse Bereavement Care Isle of Man(L-R) Andy Johnstone, Kirsty Hemsley, Rachael Huxley, Richard Parslow, Amanda

Cafearo of Cruse Bereavement Care Isle of Man, Stuart Quayle, Steven Stanley

Manx Cancer Help(L-R) Stuart Quayle, Richard Parslow, Rachael Huxley, Ally Martin of Manx Cancer

Help, Andy Johnstone, Kirsty Hemsley, Steven Stanley

CHIEF SECRETARY’S OFFICE ‘RACE THE SUN’ FOR CHARITY

UPDATE magazine


TONY JONES FIRST TO BE HONOURED BY NEW AWARD

Tony Jones receives his Commendation.

UPDATE magazine


UNSUNG HEROES

Read about what LODD’s Administrative Officers, Sam Craig and Simone Heath do behind the scenes to ensure that your learning experience is the best it can be.

Our Life in LODD...

Well,it’sjustthetwoofus,SimoneandSamandbetweenuswemake sure that LODD runs like a well-oiled machine.

Ourdaynormallystartsaround8.20am.Wegetintotheoffice,openupourLearningSuiteandtheroomsupstairs(ifthere’sanythinggoingonupthere).Ourcustomersstartarrivingfrom8.30am.Wearealsoonhandforanysupportthetutorsrequirebeforeaneventstarts.ThiscanincludetechnicalhelpwithconnectinguplaptopsorsettingupaPCwithPowerPointandsound.

Oncethecourseisupandrunningweheadbacktoourdesksforadminwork.Betweenus,wesharetheresponsibilityoftheLODDinboxandthroughthiswegetahighvolumeofenquiriesandapplicationsforcourses.Weareheretohelpandoftentalkthroughoptionswithourcustomers.

Inadditiontocourseadministration,wealsolookafterourcustomers when they are here on an event. We order a delicious lunch and make sure you have snacks available at break times.

Nodayiseverthesamehereandinadditiontothe‘normal’stuffweareoftenaskedtodosomestrangethings.Recentlywehadtotestourlungcapacitybyinflatingfivelargerubbertyres!!!!Wehavebeensentouttofindhulahoops,bucketsandplasticballs(andtheoddKooshBallforgoodmeasure).

Attheendoftheday,ascustomersleavewiththeircertificates,weleapintoactionclearingtheroomsandsettingupforthenextevent.Itisacaseof‘manyhandsmakelightwork’,ascolleaguesand tutors help us with this. We are usually done by 5.30pm and wecloseourdoorsknowingeverythingissetupforthenextday.

Thereisalotmorethatwedowhichwehaven’ttoldyouabout,soifyou’dliketofindoutmore,pleasevisitusforacupofteaand a chat.

Ifyouwanttofindoutmoreaboutallthelearningopportunitiesweoffer,pleasevisitwww.gov.im/hr/learninganddevelopment/

Learning and Organisational Development Division, Office of Human Resources is based at Goldie House, 1-4 Goldie Terrance, Douglas, tel 685724 [email protected]

If you would like to tell Update readers about your role, please contact [email protected]

LIFE IN LODD

Long service certificates are issued to recognise 20, 30 and 40 years’ service. A retirement certificate is also available for staff who have completed 25 years of continuous service.

Departments are responsible for identifying staff that have completed the required number of years’ service, whether or not these staff members would like to receive such a certificate, and for advising OHR.

Recipients of certificates presented on retirement after 25 years’ continuous service can have their certificate presented by the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission or by their Chief Officer. Please contact OHR on 685000 if you would like to arrange a certificate for a member of staff.

(Top) Voirrey Cowley, Senior Secretary was presented with her 20 year certificate

by Jon Callister. (Bottom) Phil Litherland, Business Partner (20 years), Hilary Leece,

HR Adviser (30 years) and Jon Callister, Chief Officer (20 years).

CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION

Simone Heath

Sam Craig

UPDATE magazineNEW SERVICES

On the 1st April 2013, new arrangements for the provision of occupational health services across the Isle of Man Government were put in place. The main service provider is the Department of Health Occupational Health Directorate with Independent Medical Services continuing to provide assessments and advice to the Department of Home Affairs.

The new service aims are to improve consistency and efficiency of service delivery and to develop better understanding and links between service providers and Government Departments.

Outline of New Service

There are six core aspects of the new service provision:

• Preventionofillhealthcausedorexacerbatedbywork.

• TimelyInterventiontoassiststaffandDepartmentstomanagehealthproblemsandabsencefromwork.

• Rehabilitationtoassiststafftoremaininworkorreturntoworkafterillhealth.

• HealthAssessmentstoenabletheprovisionofadvicetostaffandmanagersaboutfitnessforworkandattendance.

• PromotionofHealthandWellbeingasaspecialistresourcetohelpDepartmentsimprovethehealthandwellbeingofstaff.

• TeachingandTraining.Provisionoftrainingforemployeestopromotethehealthandwellbeingapproachatwork.

Lead Occupational Health Advisers

As part of the new arrangements each Department has been allocated a lead OHD Adviser to be the main point of contact with the service and to work closely with the relevant OHR Business Partner.

The lead person for your area is:

NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH


HELEN TIPPER FOR:

• General Registry

• Attorney General’s Office

• Chief Secretary’s Office

• Department of Education and Children

SIMON McANDRY FOR:

• Department of Home Affairs

JENNY MAY FOR:

• Department of Infrastructure

• Water and Sewerage Authority

• Department of Environment Food and Agriculture

• Treasury

• Manx National Heritage

• Office of Human Resources

• Office of Fair Trading

• Gambling Supervision Commission

• Public Sector Pensions Authority

CAROLE ASTBURY FOR:

• Department of Social Care

• Department of Economic Development

• Department of Community Culture and Leisure

• Department of Health

Over the coming year the lead advisers will be reviewing all the services currently provided to each Department and identifying areas for development.

LeadOccupationalHealthAdvisors(L-R)HelenTipperandJennyMaywithconsultant Occupational Health physician Carole Astbury

Lead advisor for the

Dept. Home Affairs,

Dr Simon McAndry

Do you want to learn how to be more productive with Microsoft Office? We have the courses and skills to help you. We have tailored our courses to meet the needs of the learner and cover levels from beginners to experienced users.

In response to the upgrade being carried out across Government, from September we will be training using Office 2010. All of the courses will include information regarding the new features of Office 2010. The courses are for one day and begin at 9.00am and end at 5.00pm. They include lunch and refreshments and are held in our own training room at Thie Ushtey (a few minutes’ walk from the main College).

We can also offer bespoke courses where the training can be customised for your specific requirements and can be held either in our training centre or on your premises. Contact us, using the email address below, for more details or search ‘Government courses’ on: www.iomcollege.ac.im

If you would like to find out further information about these courses, request a copy of the prospectus, book a course or request an additional course, please contact Cathy Lord (Short Course Manager) or Gill Jones (Booking Secretary) by emailing: [email protected]

UPDATE magazine


ISLE OF MAN COLLEGE

MICROSOFT SHORT COURSES - NOW AVAILABLE IN OFFICE 2010

APPLICATIONS AT A GLANCE

Microsoft Office Word

Often considered the main program in Office and is essential for anyone who works in an office environment.

Microsoft Office Excel

Microsoft Excel is the most popular spreadsheet program used.

Microsoft Office PowerPoint

PowerPoint has the ability to make presentations engaging, creative and personalised.

Microsoft Office Outlook

Personal information manager and e-mail software.

Microsoft Office Publisher

Desktop publishing software mostly used for designing brochures, labels, calendars, greeting cards, business cards, newsletters etc.

Microsoft Office Visio

Diagram and flowcharting software that assists the user in tracking their workflow and enhances their presentations with ease.

Microsoft Office Project

Project management software to keep track of events.

Microsoft Courses by Date

SEPTEMBER

APPLICATION TITLE DATE DAYExcel Foundation Sep 10 TueWord Foundation Sep 12 ThurExcel Charts and Spreadsheets Sep 17 TueWord Columns, Tabs, Tables etc Sep 19 ThurExcel Advanced Excel Part 1 (AnalysingData) Sep 24 Tue

OCTOBER

APPLICATION TITLE DATE DAYExcel Advanced Excel Part 2 (WorkbookFunctions) Oct 01 TuePowerPoint Foundation Oct 03 ThurExcel Foundation Oct 08 TueOutlook Working Effectively Oct 10 ThurExcel Charts and Spreadsheets Oct 15 TueWord Mail Merge Oct 17 ThurExcel Advanced Excel Part 1 (AnalysingData) Oct 22 TuePublisher Leaflets, Pamphlets, Books Oct 24 Thur

NOVEMBER

APPLICATION TITLE DATE DAYExcel Advanced Excel Part 2 (WorkbookFunctions) Nov 05 TueWord Long Documents Nov 07 ThurExcel Foundation Nov 12 TuePowerPoint Advanced Nov 14 ThurExcel Charts and Spreadsheets Nov 19 TueWord Foundation Nov 21 ThurExcel Advanced Excel Part 1 (AnalysingData) Nov 26 TuePowerPoint Foundation Nov 28 Thur

DECEMBER

APPLICATION TITLE DATE DAYExcel Advanced Excel Part 2 (WorkbookFunctions) Dec 03 TueWord Columns, Tabs, Tables etc Dec 05 ThurExcel Foundation Dec 10 TueOutlook Working Effectively Dec 12 ThurExcel Charts and Spreadsheets Dec 17 TuePublisher Leaflets, Pamphlets, Books Dec 19 Thur


UPDATE magazine

Many of us who work in the Public Service will be aware that Glynne Conway died recently when on holiday in Majorca.

Glynne who was a well-known member of the Civil Service had a wide ranging career spanning more than 35 years in Government. His Civil Service career began in 1972 when he joined the Income Tax Office, then following various promotions he progressed to work in The Personnel Office. Prior to his retirement he was Business Relationship Manager with the Social Services Division of the then, Department of Health and Social Security, during a period of very considerable change. Beyond work Glynne had many and varied interests. Having trained as a chef under Bill Beecham at College and then worked at the Fort Anne Hotel prior to joining the Civil Service, he maintained a love of food throughout his life.

For those of us who have had the pleasure of being entertained by Glynne and Joan at their home, his abilities in the kitchen were well known, as was his knowledge and appreciation of good food and wine generally.

Glynne was very much a hobbyist with a keen interest in outdoor activities including boating, wind-surfing, fishing, gardening and motorcycling, all of which he enjoyed thoroughly throughout his life.

He had a particular interest in hill-walking and was very experienced, having undertaken extensive walks in many countries including Austria, Switzerland, France and Spain.

He was also a model railway enthusiast who, over many years, devoting much time to designing and building a model railway system which, eventually, completely took over a room at home. To refer to it as Glynne’s ‘train set’ could never do justice to the quality and complexity of a model railway which was, quite simply, a labour of love.

More recently Glynne became involved with the work of the Citizens Advice Bureau devoting time to a service that he saw as important to the community and very much in keeping with his own values and beliefs.

For those who knew Glynne he will be remembered as a quiet, unassuming gentleman, thoughtful, respected and practical, whose friendship was valued by many.

REMEMBERING GLYNNE

Glynne will be remembered as a quiet, unassuming gentleman, thoughtful, respected and practical, whose

friendship was valued by many.

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